Does my Drinking Water Meet the Current Health Standards?
We are committed to providing you with the best water quality available. However some contaminants that were tested last year did not meet all applicable health standards regulated by the state and federal government. In 2019 the Agawam Water Department reported four quarterly exceedances of the MCL for five Haloacetic acids (HAA5), which are disinfection byproducts (dbps). This was not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified within 24 hours. Our water system and MassDEP monitor and record the effectiveness of actions taken in response to contaminant violations. The health effect statement for this contaminant is listed below. Full 2021 HAA5 MCL notices can be found at: http://www.agawam.ma/dbp
“HAA5 is a group of five haloacetic acid compounds which form when disinfectants react with natural organic matter in the water. Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.”
It is important to note that, as the water travels through the water distribution system, the HAA5s dissipate and the concentrations decrease significantly with time.
Our system took the following corrective actions: We mailed a public notification and also provided distributed notices to several public building in town; we also published an ad in the newspaper. We continue to work with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission (SWSC), they have implanted the following short-term solutions: Evaluating the amount of chlorine needed through intensive data analysis; Optimizing filtration techniques to remove more naturally dissolved organic matter (NOM); Reducing water storage time and adding mixers to storage tanks; Conducting water main flushing in warmer months. Long-term solutions: SWSC is designing treatment plant improvements that will address the disinfection byproduct issues. Construction is estimated to start in FY24 at an estimated cost of $168 million.