[To download this report click here]

2009 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT FOR THE VILLAGE OF LIMA AND

WATER DISTRICTS ONE AND TWO (TOWN OF LIMA)

New York State Water Supplier Id. #’s. Village NY2501021 Town NY2525000

Each year, water suppliers in New York State are required under New York State Department of Health regulations to distribute a report to their customers that summarizes water quality data for the previous calendar year. Since the Village and Town of Lima water districts purchase their water from the City of Rochester, it is our practice to meet this requirement through the distribution of the City’s annual report. Due to additional treatment (disinfection) and other conditions associated with our system from the City of Rochester, it is expected that the results of regulated components will differ/vary from those recorded in the City’s. As a result, this report acts as a supplement to the report provided by the City of Rochester.

This report is intended to inform you (our customers) about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by local, state, and federal agencies. Our constant goal for the Village and Town of Lima is to provide our customers with an abundant supply of safe drinking water. We would like you to be aware of our continuing efforts to improve the quality and quantity of this valuable natural resource, which we supply to each and every customer. The Village and Town of Lima water systems were both free of violations in 2009.

The Village of Lima began purchasing water from the City of Rochester in the fall of 1989. This water primarily comes from Hemlock Lake, although we do receive some Lake Ontario water mixed on a rare occasion. This probably is the result of the City closing valves due to a water main break or performing maintenance on their mains. We receive the City’s water from their system north of the Livingston County line on Route 15A. From there we pump the water south along Route 15A through the Town of Lima supplying the customers of Water District One along the way. At the time of pumping we add a small amount of disinfectant (sodium hypochlorite solution), and a phosphate (Calciquest) to combat rust deposits and build ups in the mains and valves. The chlorine and Calciquest residuals are monitored every day to insure proper dosage. Bacteria testing is performed monthly in the Town and the Village water supplies. In 2009, disinfection by-products were sampled quarterly in the Village of Lima water supply, and annually in the Town of Lima water supply.

When pumping, the water flows to the Village distribution system and replenishes the water tower located on Seneca Ave. This is done automatically so that we can keep the tower as full as possible at all times. The purpose of the water tower which holds 500,000 gallons is (1) to be a two day supply in case there is a problem with our pumping system, (2) to keep a constant water pressure through out the distribution system, and (3) to act as a reserve for fire protection. In 2009, we pumped on average 187 thousand gallons a day to meet our daily demand. The total amount of water produced in 2009 was 76,369,000 gallons. Our highest one day total of water pumped into the distribution system was 484,000 gallons. The Village of Lima serves 2,900 people through 650 service connections. In 2009, water customers were charged on the average $ 43.70 for the first 10,000 gallons and then they were charged $3.64 per additional 1,000 gallons of water. The City of Rochester’s conduit in North Bloomfield supplies the Town of Lima Water District One and Three. District number Two is supplied by the City conduit at the county line on Route 15A where the chlorine residual is monitored monthly. The Town of Lima serves 220 people through 117 service connections. As you will notice the City of Rochester has completed the bulk of this report (PAMPHLET) because they are our supplier. The City of Rochester is required to perform testing for contaminants in the water before it is delivered to Lima. Detected contaminants are listed in the enclosed report.

COLIFORM BACTERIA

Coliform bacteria is a group of bacteria that are commonly used as a measure of the sanitary quality of drinking water. The presence of a specific type of coliform known as E.coli is considered to be a potentially serious compromise to the sanitary quality. Bacteria in drinking water not only originate at the source, but can be introduced through a variety of local distribution conditions. For this reason, we are required to test a minimum of three times a month in the Village water system, and at least once per month in the Town water system. These samples are sent out to a New York State certified laboratory for analysis.

The regulatory limit, maximum contaminant level (MCL) for coliform bacteria is violated if more than 5% of samples tested are positive for this group of bacteria. The MCL for E. coli is violated if it is found to be present. In 2009, all of our samples tested negative for total coliform bacteria as well as E. coli.

DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS

Disinfection by-products (DBP’s) are organic chemical compounds that form when disinfectants (in our case, chlorine) react with certain types of organic compounds that are found naturally in the source water. DBP’s are regulated because at high levels they have been shown to cause adverse health effects. It is important to note that to insure sanitary quality; we are required to maintain a minimum level of chlorine residual throughout the distribution system. Since chlorine dissipates with time and distance, we must add additional chlorine to the water we purchase from Rochester in order to meet this requirement.

The two main categories of regulated DBP’s are TRIHALOMETHANES (THM’s) and HALOACETIC ACIDS (HAA’s). Levels of these compounds in our water were well below the established regulatory limits also known as the maximum contaminant level (MCL).

[click on table above to open a larger view in a new window]

As you can see by the table, our system had no violations. We have learned through our testing that some contaminants have been detected; however, these contaminants were detected below the level allowed by the State.

DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS?

Although our drinking water met or exceeded state and federal regulations, some people may be more vulnerable to disease causing microorganisms or pathogens 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 from their health care provider about their drinking water. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other microbial pathogens are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

WHY SAVE WATER AND HOW TO AVOID WASTING IT?

Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water:

¨ Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life;

¨ Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers; and

¨ Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential fire fighting needs are met.

You can play a role in conserving water by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using, and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. It is not hard to conserve water. Conservation tips include:

¨ Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.

¨ Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.

¨ Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.

¨ Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.

¨ Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off all taps and water using appliances, then check the meter after 15 minutes. If it moved, you have a leak.

If you feel that there might be a problem with your water please call the Village office and we will arrange for a sample to be taken and tested. We regularly send our employees to State certified courses to educate them about managing our water system and how to provide you with the safest drinking water possible.

Thank you for allowing us to continue to provide your family with quality drinking water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. If you should have any questions about this report or any water related topics please feel free to call Benjamin Luft, Village Superintendent of Public Works at (585) 624-4525 or Keith Arner, Town Superintendent of Public Works (585) 582-1443. You may also call The Village of Lima Clerks office at (585) 624-2210, Lima Town Clerks office at (585) 582-1130 or The Livingston County Health Dept. at (585) 243-7280.