Consumer Confidence Report

What is a Consumer Confidence Report?

The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) details the quality of your drinking water, where it comes from, and where you can get more information. This annual report documents all detected primary and secondary drinking water parameters, and compares them to their respective standards known as Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs).

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 storm water 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 storm water 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, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

What is the source of my drinking water?

Newport Water Works has two sources; Gilman Pond in Unity is our surface water supply, and Pollards Mill Well is our deep groundwater supply. The Gilman Pond Water Filtration Plant treats approximately .5 million gallons per day (MGD) and is the primary water source. The Pollard Mill Well is used as a supplemental source. Gilman Pond is a water source in Unity that has been Newport’s    primary water supply for over one-hundred years. The water in this source has exceptional clarity with visibility to 25 feet. Water from Gilman Pond is piped into our water treatment plant where the    water goes through a process known as slow sand filtration. Slow sand filtration is one of the most reliable water treatment methods.

A small amount of chlorine is added to the water as a disinfectant before it enters the water system.       Sodium silicate is also added during the water treatment process, to help prevent the corrosion of metal pipes.

Why are contaminants in my water?

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.

Do I need to take special precautions?   

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 at 1-800-426-4791.

How can I get involved?

For more information about your drinking water, please call the Water & Sewer Superintendent, at 863-4271. Although we do not have specific dates for public participation events or meetings, feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.   Please check out the Town of Newport’s new website at www.newportnh.gov

Violations and Other information:

Newport Water Works had no violations in 2023.

What Can I do to save water?

Newport Water Works is a proud promotional partner with the US EPA WaterSense Program. WaterSense labeled products have the same or better performance than their water-wasting counterparts. Please consider upgrading toilets, faucets, showerheads, urinals, and irrigation controllers to ones that have the EPA WaterSense label. More information on these high-performance water saving devices can be found at www.epa.gov/watersense. Save some water, and possibly money on your water bill.

Definitions

• Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: 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.
• Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG: 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.
• Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water.  There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
• Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal or MRDLG: The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
• Treatment Technique or TT: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Abbreviations

• BDL: Below Detection Limit
• mg/L: milligrams per Liter
• NA: Not Applicable            
• ND: Not Detectable at testing limit
• NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit
• pCi/L: picoCurie per Liter
• ppb: parts per billion
• ppm: parts per million
• RAA: Running Annual Average
• TTHM: Total Trihalomethanes
• UCMR: Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
• ug/L: micrograms per Liter

Drinking Water Contaminants:

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.  This water system is responsible for high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in your plumbing components.  When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing cold water from your tap for at least 30 seconds before using water for drinking or cooking.  Do not use hot water for drinking and 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://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/index.cfm\

SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT SUMMARY:

DES prepared drinking water source assessment reports for all public water systems between 2000 and 2003 in an effort to assess the vulnerability of each of the state’s public water supply sources. Included in the report is a map of each source water protection area, a list of potential and known contamination sources, and a summary of available protection options.  The results of the assessment, prepared on October 2002, are noted below.                                                                                               

Please note: This Source Water Assessment is over fifteen years old and it is possible the risks may have changed. More information is available on the   New Hampshire DES Drinking Water Source Assessment website;   http://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/dwgb/dwspp/dwsap.htm