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Substances That Could Be in Water
<br />To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA
<br />prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain
<br />contaminants in water provided by public water systems. U.S.
<br />Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits
<br />for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the
<br />same protection for public health. Drinking water, including
<br />bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least
<br />small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these
<br />contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses
<br />a health risk.
<br />The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled
<br />water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs,
<br />and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land
<br />or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring
<br />minerals, in some cases radioactive material, and substances
<br />resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
<br />Substances that may be present in source water include:
<br />Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which
<br />may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems,
<br />agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife;
<br />Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can
<br />be naturally occurring or may result from urban stormwater
<br />runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and
<br />gas production, mining, or farming;
<br />Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety
<br />of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and
<br />residential uses;
<br />Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and
<br />volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial
<br />processes and petroleum production and may also come from
<br />gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems;
<br />Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring
<br />or may be the result of oil and gas production and mining
<br />activities.
<br />For more information about contaminants and potential
<br />health effects, call the U.S. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline
<br />at (800) 426-4791.
<br />Lead in Home Plumbing
<br />Wellhead Protection Amendment
<br />and Urban Services Expansion
<br />We recently completed our Wellhead Protection
<br />Amendment, which has been reviewed and
<br />approved by MDH. We update and amend our
<br />Wellhead Protection Plan every 10 years to identify the
<br />changing needs of our water system. ERMU creates
<br />action items to address goals and concerns through
<br />the plan's 10-year time line. This illustrates our needs
<br />to MDH so it can address concerns, adjust, create
<br />grants and programs, and better communicate with
<br />us and legislators with the foundational knowledge
<br />disclosed through the amendment process. Now that
<br />the City of Elk River has approved its most recent
<br />Urban Services Expansion north of town, ERMU
<br />needs to continue to plan ahead and consider growth
<br />potential, which will impact water consumption for
<br />residential, commercial, and fire protection use.
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<br />Map Legend
<br />Blue - Water Territory - Infrastructure Accessible
<br />Red - Water Territory - Infrastructure Not Currently Accessible
<br />Purple - Proposed Future Urban Services Territory
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<br />If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young
<br />children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and
<br />home plumbing. We are responsible for providing high -quality drinking water, but we cannot control the variety
<br />of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize
<br />the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking
<br />or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information
<br />on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe
<br />Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or online at: www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
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