2009 Water Quality Report

Heights Water’s mission is toprovide our customers with safe and reliable drinking water. This annual report is intended to provide current, factual information about your drinking water.

We are pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets all Federal and State requirements.

Drinking Water Sources: Heights Water draws and treats your drinking water from naturally occurring, year-round springs and four wells. The springs and three wells are located on the east side of the island in the vicinity of SW 127 th Street. One well is located at 13205 Vashon Hwy SW.

Heights Water routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. This report shows the results of testing for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2008.

All 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Immuno-compromisedpersons - Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons 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 and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

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.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink , the 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.

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 byproducts 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.

Arsenic – While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.

Lead - If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Heights Water 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 2 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.

The water quality information presented in the table is from the most recent tests performed in accordance with the regulations. If you would like to learn about your water system and water quality, please contact our office.

The Heights Water Board of Trustees meets monthly, usually the first Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Please call the office to verify date and time.

There is a source water protection plan available from our office that provides more information such as potential sources of contamination.

If you have any questions about this report or your water quality, please call the Heights Water office at (206) 463-0014 or visit us www.heightswater.org.