HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013 Water Report PipelinePipelinePUBLIC WORKS
2013 Water Report
For the year 2012
City Reminds Residents To Filter Out Water Treatment Scams See Page 2 for details
Your Drinking Water Is
Certified Safe
The City of Edina’s goal is to provide
you with high-quality, safe, reliable
drinking water that surpasses State and
federal requirements. Test results from
monitoring done in 2012 show that the
City is achieving that goal.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and the Minnesota Department of Health
have identified many chemicals and
other substances that might pose a
risk to humans. When a contaminant is
thought to pose a risk, these agencies
set upper limits for safe human
consumption.
Pages 6-9 of this issue of Public Works
Pipeline contain the City’s annual
water quality report, which includes
complete information on the monitoring
done on Edina’s drinking water last
year. Residents in Edina’s Morningside
Neighborhood who receive their water
from the City of Minneapolis will find
information detailing the quality of
Minneapolis’ water on Pages 10-12.
Please review the report. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact the Edina Public Works Department, 952-826-0312.
Filtering Out Water Treatment Scams
By Brady Skoglund
Purchasing a water treatment system is
no small task and should not be taken
lightly. Making this important decision
requires research, and consumers are
urged to do their homework before
making a purchase.
Including water softeners, water treatment
systems can contain various filters or
devices that property owners install to
alter the quality of their water.
Consumers should be aware of tactics
and claims used to pressure them into
buying water treatment systems that
aren’t certified or recommended by the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
One of the best ways to decide on
a system is to make sure that it is
certified by organizations such as
NSF International, the Water Quality
Association or Underwriters Laboratories.
Unfortunately, some purveyors of water
treatment systems use fraudulent sales
tactics. In many of those cases, a scam
will take the form of something left
on the door of a home encouraging
the owner to take action. It might
be a letter or a plastic bottle with
instructions to fill it up and leave it
for the “water company” to test. Some
victims think that the water company is
the City. More than likely, the company
will “test” the water and come back to
tell the resident something needs to
be done to ensure the quality of their
water, which isn’t the case.
City of Edina Utility Supervisor Gary Wells
has dealt with situations such as these.
“If we’re lucky, people will call us before
they do anything,” said Wells about the
scams.
According to Wells, the City’s water is
tested every month and meets all the
requirements set by the City of Edina
and the State of Minnesota.
Although Wells has dealt with occasional
reports of scams for the past couple
years, he says that calls are very minimal
and that most people are able to
recognize them for what they are.
Wells does not recommend residents buy
any water treatment system other than
a water softener because they have the
potential to strip their water supply of
necessary elements such as calcium,
magnesium and copper, and may result
in erosion of pipes.
Although seeing that such elements
exist in water may be alarming to some
people, at proper levels the elements
are necessary for both plumbing and the
body’s natural health, according to the
World Health Organization.
It is also important to know how to
correctly use and maintain your system.
If it does not work properly, it could run
the risk of worsening your water quality.
Some companies may claim their systems
are “maintenance free,” but beware of
these claims.
Wells encourages people to call the City
if they are targeted by water treatment
scams, but also wants people to know
that the City’s utility jurisdiction stops
at the curb.
“If they let us know, we can make sure
the Police Department knows about it,”
said Wells.
Anyone who feels they have been
provided false information regarding
questionable sales tactics should contact
the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office
Consumer Complaints Division at 651-
296-3353 or visit www.ag.state.mn.us/
Consumer/Complaint.asp
For more information on Edina’s Public
Works Department or its Utilities Division,
visit www.EdinaMN.gov/PublicWorks.2
Public Works Profile:
Josh Wagner
By Brady Skoglund
Moving from Afghanistan to Edina seems
like an extreme change that some people
might not handle well, but for Ex-Marine
and new City of Edina Utility Operator
Josh Wagner, it was just what he needed.
Prior to his work with the City, Wagner
spent seven months of active duty in
Afghanistan as a member of the U.S.
Marine Corps.
Wagner grew up in Richfield, Minn., and
was part of the Richfield-Edina school
rivalry as winger on the hockey team and
a hurdler on the track team.
“Edina always beat us in every sport,”
said Wagner, “they always worked really
hard.”
Edina’s brand as a community with a strong
work ethic and winning results is part of
the reason Wagner wanted to come on as
a seasonal employee of the Public Works
Department in April 2012.
“You see how well they take care of
everything,” said Wagner.
Wagner was brought on as a full-time
Utility Operator in December 2012 and is
excited about the work he has been able
to do to date.
As a Utility Operator, Wagner is responsible
for maintaining the City’s sanitary pumps
and lift stations and building catch
basins for funneling storm water.
Utilities Supervisor Gary Wells is happy to
have Wagner as a full-time member of
the Utilities Division.
When asked what Wagner brings to the
table, Wells did not hesitate to answer.
“Youth,” Wells said with a chuckle.
And Wells agrees that Wagner, 25, has
a very bright future with the Utilities
Division.
“The outlook for him is unlimited,” said
Wells of the multi-talented Wagner. “He’s
a very quick study and he’s eager to
learn.”
Dan Heinzman, who shares a utility truck
with Wagner, has worked with him for
the past year and has enjoyed their time
together.
“He’s just an upbeat guy that’s always
looking for more work,” said Heinzman.
“He’s always on the move.”
Outside of work, Wagner lives in
Bloomington and takes care of his
2-year-old son, Lane. Wagner himself
is the youngest of eight children in
his family and Lane is now the 17th
grandchild of the Wagner family, all
of whom live in Minneapolis or the
southwest suburbs.
With Wagner’s family nearby, he looks
forward to being able to work for the City
of Edina for a long time.
“I love it,” said Wagner, “Edina is
definitely a step above many other
cities.”
Prior to his work with the City, Josh
Wagner spent seven months of active
duty in Afghanistan as a member of
the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Lawn Care Affects Water Quality
Making changes in the way we care for
our lawns goes a long way in protecting
water quality. Protecting water quality
goes a long way in protecting wetlands,
lakes and our environment.
Make these easy changes in lawn care
to make large changes in local water
quality:
• Test your soil. Find out what nutrients
you may or may not need to add for a
healthy lawn.
• Do not use phosphorus fertilizer.
The “P” on the NPK rating on a bag
of fertilizer indicates the amount of
phosphorus, so be sure to choose
fertilizer with a “P” rating of “0.”
• Apply fertilizer at the correct rate. More
is not better. Be sure your spreader is
set correctly.
• Keep fertilizer, grass clippings and
leaves off driveways and streets. When
these things are left on hard surfaces,
they wash off into storm drains and
cause “green” lakes.
• Mow grass to a height of two or three
inches. Overseed in the spring and
fall. Aerate and dethatch in the fall.
A healthy lawn needs less chemical
maintenance.
• Grass clippings left on the lawn act as
a fertilizer in the summer.
3
4
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the hardness of Edina water,
and what level of hardness should I set
my water softener to?
A: Edina water has approximately 17
grains of hardness. The Utility Division
of the Public Works Department
recommends setting your softener to
obtain 3 to 4 grains of hardness.
Q: What other important information
should I know about Edina’s water?
A: Edina water has less than 1 part per
million of iron. The PH level of Edina
water is 7.6. Edina maintains fluoride at
about 1 part per million.
Q: Sometimes my water smells like
bleach. Why? Is that harmful? What can
I do to rid the water of that smell?
A: The City uses recommended amounts
of chlorine to remove microorganisms
from the water. Edina maintains its
chlorine level between 1 and 1.5 parts
per million. We test the water every
day to make sure the levels are within
national regulation guidelines. This
level of chlorine is not harmful, but
some people are sensitive to its odor.
An easy solution is to keep a container
of water stored in your refrigerator.
The chlorine gas smell dissipates very
quickly, leaving no odor.
Q: I used to get a postcard telling me
when you’re flushing the hydrants, but
I don’t get it anymore. How am I going
to know when you are flushing?
A: The costs of mass mailings can be
high. To save money, information is
published in the Edina Sun-Current and
About Town, on Edina Channel 16, and
online at www.EdinaMN.gov.
Q: How long does it take after flushing
hydrants for my water to run clear?
A: Generally, after flushing, it takes two
to six hours for the iron particles, which
are heavier than water, to settle out of
the water. It may help to turn your cold
water on medium pressure down in your
laundry tub until the water clears up.
Since the Utilities Department flushes
from 7 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m., it is a
good idea to wait until early evening to
do laundry. Always run a little water in
your laundry tub first to make sure the
water is running clear.
Q: How large of an area is affected by
flushing a hydrant? Why can’t you be
more specific about when you’ll be on
my block?
A: Usually when a hydrant is opened,
only the area in a block radius is
affected. Often, even though the City
flushes a hydrant right outside your
home, you won’t have any discolored
water. Because the water system is a
single-pressure zone (all connected), it
is possible to cause red water problems
in ANY area of the city.
Q: Why do you flush all the hydrants on
my street? Wouldn’t one or two suffice?
A: We try to operate every hydrant in the
City once a year to see if there are any
maintenance-related issues that may
need attention.
Q: I had water shooting up out of my
lower-level toilets and a sewer gas
smell. What happened? Who’s going to
clean it up?
A: The City’s Utilities Division cleans
sewer main lines using high-pressure
water. While conducting this activity,
our machine can create positive and
negative pressures in the sewer line.
These pressures are normally released
through the manholes and roof vents
from the house’s sewer line. If the
house’s vent line is obstructed, the
pressures will take the path of least
resistance. This path can be through
your floor drain or toilet. Air is the
only thing that gets released. However,
it will move any standing water in its
path and release sewer gas into your
home.
This is not a common occurrence, but
does occasionally happen. Putting
water in all of the drains in your house
(especially lower-level floor drains) will
stop the further release of sewer odor
into your home. Clean-up is typically
minor and is left to the home owner.
Keeping your sewer and vent line clean
will help prevent this from happening
and minimize the chances of a backup
caused from a blockage. After cleaning
your sewer line, please call the City’s
Utilities Division so staff can make sure
the debris from your line won’t block
the main sewer line.
– Compiled by Susan Waack
Upgraded Water Meter
Process Wraps Up
By Brady Skoglund
All of the old residential water meters in
Edina have been replaced.
Last year, Ferguson Waterworks was hired
to complete an upgrade to the water
meters in Edina homes and businesses.
Water meters are used to record the
amount of water used in properties so
that the owners of these properties
can be correctly billed. The last time
the City upgraded its water meters was
during the mid-1990s. That project
included the installation of then-state-
of-the-art water meters that could
be read from a vehicle on a nearby
roadway. The most recent upgrade was
undertaken because the batteries in
those meters were failing at a high rate.
The Public Works Department had planned
to simply replace the batteries in the
meters, but learned that the bandwidth
provided by the Federal Communications
Commission would no longer be
available for public use as of Jan. 1,
2013. The old meters also contained
small amounts of lead. Starting in 2014,
any meter that contains lead will be
prohibited.
For these reasons, the City Council
approved a total replacement of the
approximately 14,000 water meters in
Edina.
The $3.6 million project was funded by
the Public Works Utilities Fund. After
the new meters are installed, they are
completely hands-off, requiring no
maintenance or attention by residents.
In the past, a meter-reading process
took staff about five days to properly
complete. With the new meters, this
time has been reduced to one day.
Another benefit of the new meters is that
the units have capabilities to notify the
building owner and the Public Works
Department of leaks in residences and
commercial buildings.
“It allows us to be more proactive,” said
Public Works Coordinator David Goergen.
Reacting quicker to a leak is a definite
advantage to help keep unnecessary
water use at a minimum and water
bills down, according to Goergen, not
to mention preventing damage to the
building and plumbing.
Goergen said he was pleased with how
the upgrade went and is now looking
forward to the benefits of the new
meters, which include more accurate
billing of water usage. Previously,
some customers’ bills were not accurate
because the batteries in their meters
were failing and recording less water
usage.
Although residential water meter
replacements are finished, some
commercial meters might not yet be
completed, but will be done shortly.
Some of the upgrades taking place in
commercial buildings in Edina involved
minor plumbing changes, but Goergen
said the adjustments were nothing
serious and included some realignments
or moving things around to allow the
meters to fit properly.
For more information on water meters
and utilities, visit www.EdinaMN.gov/
PublicWorks or call 952-826-0376.
City Of Edina To Flush Hydrants In September
To purge rust and stagnant water from the
water distribution system and identify
hydrants in need of maintenance, the
Utilities Division of the City of Edina’s
Public Works Department will flush
hydrants for two weeks in September.
Random hydrants are also flushed
throughout the year as weather and water
demand allow.
Hydrant-flushing will take place 7 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. In
an attempt to minimize the impact on
residents, hydrants will be flushed on the
east side of Minnesota Highway 100 the
week of Sept. 9 and on the west side of
the highway the week of Sept. 16.
Due to the hydrant flushing, it is inevitable
that some residents will receive rust-
colored water that could stain laundry,
but it is safe to drink. You should check
for signs of discoloration prior to washing
clothes. If the water is discolored when
you turn on your tap, simply run the
water until it is clear. Because the water
system is a “single-pressure zone,”
it is possible that red water
problems will occur in any
area of the City while
flushing occurs.
For more information
regarding hydrant
flushing, call the
Utilities Division at
952-826-0375 or
952-826-0312.
5
The City of Edina is issuing
the results of monitoring
done on its drinking water
for the period from Jan. 1 to
Dec. 31, 2012.
The purpose of this report is to advance
consumers’ understanding of drinking
water and heighten awareness of the need
to protect precious water resources.
Source of Water
The City of Edina provides drinking water
to its residents from a groundwater
source: 17 wells ranging from 381 to
1,080 feet deep that draw water from
the Mount Simon, Jordan and Prairie Du
Chien-Jordan aquifers.
The water provided to customers may
meet drinking water standards, but the
Minnesota Department of Health has
also made a determination as to how
vulnerable the source of water may be to
future contamination incidents. If you
wish to obtain the entire source water
assessment regarding your drinking
water, please call 651-201-4700 or
1-800-818-9318 (and press 5) during
normal business hours. Also, you can
view it online at www.health.state.
mn.us/divs/eh/water/swp/swa.
Call 952-826-0376 if you have questions
about the City of Edina’s drinking
water or would like information about
opportunities for public participation in
decisions that may affect the quality of
the water.
Results of Monitoring
No contaminants were detected at levels
that violated federal drinking water
standards. However, some contaminants
were detected in trace amounts that
were below legal limits. The table
that follows shows the contaminants
that were detected in trace amounts
last year. (Some contaminants are
sampled less frequently than once a
year; as a result, not all contaminants
were sampled in 2012. If any of these
contaminants were detected the last
time they were sampled for, they are
included in the table along with the
date the detection occurred.)
Key to Abbreviations:
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level
Goal: The level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is no
known or expected risk to health. MCLGs
allow for a margin of safety.
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The
highest level of a contaminant that is
allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set
as close to the MCLGs as feasible using
the best available treatment technology.
MRDL: Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level.
MRDLG: Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level Goal.
AL: Action Level: The concentration of a
contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirement which a
water system must follow.
90th Percentile Level: This is the
value obtained after disregarding 10
percent of the samples taken that had
the highest levels. (For example, in
a situation in which 10 samples were
taken, the 90th percentile level is
determined by disregarding the highest
result, which represents 10 percent of
the samples.) Note: In situations in
which only five samples are taken, the
average of the two with the highest
levels is taken to determine the 90th
percentile level.
pCi/l: PicoCuries per liter: a measure
of radioactivity.
ppb: Parts per billion, which can also be
expressed as micrograms per liter (μg/l).
ppm: Parts per million, which can
also be expressed as milligrams per
liter (mg/l).
nd: No Detection.
N/A: Not Applicable (does not apply).
2012 City of Edina Drinking Water Report
6
Contaminant (units)MCLG MCL
Level Found
Typical Source of ContaminantRange (2012)Average/Result*
1,1-Dichloroethylene (ppb)7 7 nd-.6 .6 Discharge from industrial chemical factories.
Alpha Emitters (pCi/l)0 15.4 4.7-8.7 8.7 Erosion of natural deposits.
Arsenic (ppb)0 10 N/A 3.49 Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff
from glass and electronics production wastes.
Barium (ppm)2 2 N/A .14 Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries;
Erosion of natural deposits.
Combined Radium (pCi/l)0 5.4 3.7-3.8 3.8 Erosion of natural deposits.
Fluoride (ppm)4 4 .9-1 1.05
The State of Minnesota requires all municipal water systems
to add fluoride to the drinking water to promote strong
teeth; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from fertilizer
and aluminum factories.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)0 60 N/A 1.3 By-product of drinking water disinfection.
TTHM (Total trihalomethanes) (ppb)0 80 N/A 14.7 By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Trichloroethylene (ppb)0 5 nd-.46 .46 Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories.
Vinyl Chloride (ppb)0 2 nd-1.1 1.1 Leaching from PVC piping; Discharge from plastics factories.
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene (ppb)70 70 .23-17 17 Discharge from industrial chemical factories.
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene (ppb)100 100 nd-.8 .8 Discharge from industrial chemical factories.
*This is the value used to determine compliance with federal standards. It sometimes is the highest value detected and sometimes is an average of all the detected values. If it is an average, it may contain sampling results from the previous year.
Contaminant (units)MRDLG MRDL *********Typical Source of Contaminant
Chlorine (ppm)4 4 .6-1.6 .89 Water additive used to control microbes.
****Highest and Lowest Monthly Average. *****Highest Quarterly Average.
7
Contaminant (units)MCLG AL 90% Level # sites over AL Typical Source of
Contaminant
Copper (ppm) (9/29/2010)1.3 1.3 .32 0 out of 30 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits.
Lead (ppb)
(9/29/2010)0 15 2.2 0 out of 30
Corrosion of household
plumbing systems; Erosion
of natural deposits.
If present, infants and children who drink
water containing lead in excess of the
action level could experience delays in
their physical or mental development.
Children could show slight deficits in
attention span and learning abilities.
Adults who drink this water over many
years could develop kidney problems or
high blood pressure. Lead in drinking
water is primarily from materials and
components associated with service lines
and home plumbing. The City of Edina
is responsible for providing high-quality
drinking water, but cannot control the
variety of materials used in plumbing
components. When your water has
been sitting for several hours, you can
minimize the potential for lead exposure
by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to
two minutes before using water for
drinking or cooking. If you are concerned
about lead in your water, you may wish
to have your water tested. Information
on lead in drinking water, testing
methods and steps you can take to
minimize exposure is available from
the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Monitoring may have been done for
additional contaminates that do not
have MCLs established for them and are
not required to be monitored under the
Safe Drinking Water Act. Results may be
available by calling 651-201-4700 or
1-800-818-9318 during normal business
hours.
Some contaminants do not have Maximum
Contaminant Levels established for them.
These unregulated contaminants are
assessed using state standards known
as health risk limits to determine if
they pose a threat to human health. If
unacceptable levels of an unregulated
contaminant are found, the response
is the same as if an MCL has been
exceeded; the water system must inform
its customers and take other corrective
actions. In the table above are the
unregulated contaminants that were
detected.
8
Compliance with
National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations
The sources of drinking water (both tap
water and bottled water) include rivers,
lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs,
springs and wells. As water travels
over the surface of the land or through
the ground, it dissolves naturally
occurring minerals and, in some cases,
radioactive material and can pick up
substances resulting from the presence
of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in
source water include:
Microbial contaminants, such as
viruses and bacteria, which may
come from sewage treatment plants,
septic systems, agricultural livestock
operations and wildlife.
Inorganic contaminants, such as
salts and metals, which can be
naturally occurring or result from
urban stormwater runoff, industrial or
domestic wastewater discharges, oil
and gas production, mining or farming.
Pesticides and herbicides, which may
come from a variety of sources such as
agriculture, urban stormwater runoff
and residential uses.
Organic chemical contaminants,
including synthetic and volatile
organic chemicals, which are by-
products of industrial processes
and petroleum production, and can
also come from gas stations, urban
stormwater runoff and septic systems.
Radioactive contaminants, which
can be naturally occurring or be the
result of oil and gas production and
mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is
safe to drink, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) prescribes
regulations that limit the amount
of certain contaminants in water
provided by public water systems. Food
and Drug Administration regulations
establish limits for contaminants in
bottled water, which must provide the
same protection for public health.
Drinking water, including bottled
water, may reasonably be expected
to contain at least small amounts of
some contaminants. The presence of
contaminants does not necessarily
indicate that water poses a health risk.
More information about contaminants
and potential health effects can be
obtained by calling the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking
Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Some people may be more vulnerable
to contaminants in drinking water
than the general population.
Immuno-compromised people such
as those with cancer undergoing
chemotherapy, those who have
undergone organ transplants, people
with HIV/AIDS or other immune
system disorders, some elderly and
infants can be particularly at risk
from infections. These people should
seek advice about drinking water
from their health care providers.
EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate
means to lessen the risk of infection
by Cryptosporidium are available
from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at 1-800-426-4791.
Edina Water Chemistry
Hardness = 17 grains per gallon
Iron = less than 1 part per million
PH = 7.6
Fluoride = 0.9 to 1.1 parts per million
Chlorine = 1 to 1.2 parts per million
9
2012 City of Minneapolis Drinking Water Report
The City of Minneapolis
is issuing the results
of monitoring done on its
drinking water for the period
from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2012.
The purpose of this report is to advance
consumers’ understanding of drinking
water and heighten awareness of the
need to protect precious water resources.
Source of Water
The City of Minneapolis provides
drinking water to its residents from
a surface water source: surface water
drawn from the Mississippi River.
The water provided to customers may
meet drinking water standards, but the
Minnesota Department of Health has
also made a determination as to how
vulnerable the source of water may be
to future contamination incidents. If
you wish to obtain the entire source
water assessment regarding your
drinking water, please call 651-201-
4700 or 1-800-818-9318 (and press
5) during normal business hours. Also,
you can view it online at www.health.
state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/swp/swa.
Call 612-661-4999 if you have questions
about the City of Minneapolis drinking
water or would like information about
opportunities for public participation
in decisions that may affect the
quality of the water.
Results of Monitoring
No contaminants were detected at
levels that violated federal drinking
water standards. However, some
contaminants were detected in
trace amounts that were below
legal limits. The table that follows
shows the contaminants that were
detected in trace amounts last year.
(Some contaminants are sampled
less frequently than once a year; as
a result, not all contaminants were
sampled for in 2012. If any of these
contaminants were detected the last
time they were sampled for, they are
included in the table along with the
date that the detection occurred.)
Key to abbreviations:
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level
Goal: The level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is
no known or expected risk to health.
MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The
highest level of a contaminant that
is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are
set as close to the MCLGs as feasible
using the best available treatment
technology.
TT: Treatment Technique: A required
process intended to reduce the level of
a contaminant in drinking water.
NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit, used
to measure clarity in drinking water.
MRDL: Maximum Residual
Disinfectant Level.
MRDLG: Maximum Residual
Disinfectant Level Goal.
AL: Action Level: The concentration
of a contaminant which, if exceeded,
triggers treatment or other requirement
which a water system must follow.
90th Percentile Level: This is the
value obtained after disregarding 10
percent of the samples taken that had
the highest levels. (For example, in
a situation in which 10 samples were
taken, the 90th percentile level is
determined by disregarding the highest
result, which represents 10 percent of
the samples.) Note: In situations in
which only five samples are taken, the
average of the two with the highest
levels is taken to determine the 90th
percentile level.
ppb: Parts per billion, which can
also be expressed as micrograms
per liter (μg/l).
ppm: Parts per million,
which can also be expressed as
milligrams per liter (mg/l).
nd: No Detection.
N/A: Not Applicable
(does not apply).
1010
Contaminant (units)MCLG MCL Level Found Typical Source of ContaminantRange (2012)Average/Result*
Fluoride (ppm)4 4 .94-1.1 1.05
State of Minnesota requires all municipal water
systems to add fluoride to the drinking water to
promote strong teeth; Erosion of natural deposits;
Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)0 60 1.3-90.8 51.15 By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Nitrate (as Nitrogen) (ppm)10.4 10.4 N/A .2 Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks,
sewage; Erosion of natural deposits.
TTHM (Total trihalomethanes)
(ppb)0 80 8.8-105.9 54.85 By-product of drinking water disinfection.
Total Coliform Bacteria 0 present >5% present N/A 1%Naturally present in the environment.
*This is the value used to determine compliance with federal standards. It sometimes is the highest value detected and sometimes is an average of all the detected values. If it is an average, it may
contain sampling results from the previous year.
Follow-up sampling showed no contamination present.
**Lowest Monthly Percentage of Samples Meeting the Turbidity Limits. ***Highest Single Measurement.
****Highest and Lowest Monthly Average.
*****Highest Quarterly Average.
Contaminant (units)MCLG MCL *********Typical Source of Contaminant
Chlorine (ppm)4 4 2.3-4 3.28 Water additive used to control microbes.
Contaminant (units)MCLG AL 90% Level # sites over AL Typical Source of Contaminant
Copper (ppm) 1.3 1.3 .07 0 out of 51 Corrosion of household plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural deposits.
Lead (ppb)
ww 0 15 3.2 1 out of 51 Corrosion of household plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural deposits.
Contaminant (units)MCLG MCL *****Typical Source of Contaminant
Turbidity (NTU)N/A TT N/A <1 Soil runoff.
Contaminant Unit % Removal Requirement % Removal Achieved # of Quarters out of Compliance Typical Source of Contaminant
Total Organic Carbon % Removed 25-30%46-59.1%0 Naturally present in the environment.
Turbidity is a measure of the clarity of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.
11
If present, infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical
or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over
many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components
associated with service lines and home plumbing. The City of Minneapolis is responsible for providing high quality drinking water,
but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you
can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or
cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking
water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Monitoring may have been done for additional contaminates that do not have MCLs established for them and are not required to be
monitored under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Results may be available by calling 651-201-4700 or 1-800-818-9318 during normal
business hours.
12
Utility Equipment Gets A
Facelift
By Brady Skoglund
From plowing to cleaning the streets,
repairing pot holes to picking up trees,
Edina’s Public Works Department has a
myriad of vehicles that staff depends on to
do their jobs.
Every so often, an upgrade in equipment is
necessary to help keep Edina the clean,
safe city it is known to be.
Two recent stand-out upgrades include a
new Vac-Con truck for cleaning sewers
and drains and a Ford F-550 truck used
by Utility Operator Dan Heinzman. Both
were paid for out of the Public Works
Department’s general equipment fund.
The Vac-Con is a multi-functional vehicle
commonly called a “jetter.” It is most often
used for cleaning sewers, unplugging catch
basins and helping fix water main breaks
with a powerful suction hose. The new Vac-
Con was purchased in April 2012 and is one
of two vehicles of this kind in the City’s
fleet.
In addition to the Vac-Con, the Utilities
Division bought a new Ford F-550 used by
Heinzman and
fellow Utility
Operator Josh
Wagner. The
previous truck
had been used
since 1996.
“The mechanics
do a really good
job of fixing the
older vehicles,”
said Heinzman,
“but the old
truck was worn
out.”
Heinzman enjoys
the new truck
because it is
more efficient.
The new truck
makes water
main break response time quicker since
it can transport the skid loader and fit
more work materials in the bed than the
previous vehicle.
The truck also has other perks that the old
one did not – like a working radio.
“I’m very, very excited,” said Heinzman.
Heinzman said that when utilities
equipment is used, every hour of use
is usually on a heavy job, leading to
accelerated wear and tear and more
upkeep.
“It’s nice to be provided with the
equipment that allows us to do our
jobs,” Heinzman said.
Utility Operators Dan Heinzman and Josh Wagner with the
Public Works Department’s new Ford F-550 truck.
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