This report contains information about your drinking water, its source, how it is treated and most importantly its quality. The report contains a table of contaminants detected in samples collected in the year 2005 and mandatory health advisories about drinking water and bottled water. Please read and share the report with other occupants of your residence.

New York Water Service Corporation is proud to say it has always supplied drinking water in full compliance with all Federal, State, and County regulations. No violations have occurred and we require no variances or exemptions from any regulation.

System Information

Service Area: Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford, East Massapequa
Population served: 45,000 customers or 175,000 residents
Total Water Pumped 6,227,780,000 gallons Total Water Billed: 5,430,711,929 gallons
Total water lost from system (main breaks, leaks and fire fighting): 189,020,000 gallons
Average Homeowner's Bill = $358 per year
Approximately 3,500 feet of new water mains were installed.

Where your water comes from

Rain falling on Nassau County replenishes the water stored naturally in underground formations called aquifers. Wells located in your neighborhood pump water from the Magothy aquifer that holds an ample supply of groundwater. New York Water Service operates, depending upon daily and seasonal water use, up to sixteen wells that are between 350 feet and 850 feet deep. The average well can supply up to 2000 gallons of water per minute to the distribution system that connects the communities we serve.

Water Supply Protection

New York Water Service has an Emergency Plan in place to handle a natural or manmade event that causes a loss of drinking water supply or threatens its security. Our stations are equipped with quadruple safety backups to prevent overfeeding of treatment chemicals and a security system monitors our wells and pump stations on a 24-hour basis. Our state-certified operators inspect each well station several times a day. You can help. It is a Federal crime to tamper with a public water supply and its facilities (US Code Title 42 Section 300i1). Report suspicious activities on water utility property and unauthorized hydrant use to the police.

We collect representative water samples throughout the system, which are analyzed at our state-certified lab and an independent state-certified lab. Nassau County Department of Health (DOH) also collects and tests drinking water from our system. The DOH reviews all test results to determine compliance with the State Sanitary Code.

We routinely inspect commercial and residential properties to determine if the installation of a backflow prevention device is required by the State Sanitary Code to protect the public supply.

Our natural well water is drinkable at its source. Treatment is added to ensure it remains this way as it travels to your home. Treatment consists of the following:

Hardness- The water is soft (less than 3 grains or 60mg/l total hardness).
pH range is approximately 7.0 to 7.6 or slightly alkaline to prevent corrosion. Average = 7.3 pH
Chlorine Residual is approximately 0.2 to 1.0 mg/l as Free Chlorine. Average = .38mg/L Free Chlorine Free chlorine is present in water to prevent microbiological growth in the water system and household plumbing.
Turbidity (clarity) is less than 1 unit.
Total Dissolved Solids ranges from 41mg/L to 90mg/L as TDS
Total Phosphates range .02mg/L to .96mg/L Average = .34mg/L as PO4 for iron stabilization
OrthoPhosphates OrthoPhosphates range .01mg/L to .68mg/L Average = .16mg/L as PO4 for optimum treatment

As the State regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water for numerous contaminants. These contaminants include: total coliform, inorganic compounds, nitrate, nitrite, lead, copper, volatile organic compounds, total trihalomethanes and synthetic organic compounds.

This table lists contaminants that were detected in samples collected from our water supply, the regulatory allowable limits, the range of levels detected and the possible source of the contaminant. All levels detected are below applicable EPA, State and Local Drinking Water Standards. You should read the Mandatory Health Advisory information and provide this table to your doctor or pediatrician if you or someone under your care may be sensitive to the substances listed below. Many are present in foods and nutritional supplements.

Note#1 Levels are set for aesthetics. Higher levels of iron are permitted when suppliers use iron stabilization treatment (i.e. the addition of Calciquest). At 1,000 ug/l a substantial number of people will note a bitter astringent taste of iron. Also at this concentration it imparts a brownish color to laundered clothing and stains plumbing fixtures with a characteristic rust color. Staining can result at levels of 50 ug/l, lower than those detectable to the taste buds. Therefore, the MCL (higher with iron stabilization) represents a reasonable compromise as aesthetic effects are minimized. Many multivitamins may contain 3000 or 4000 ug/l of iron per capsule. New York Water Service has installed iron removal treatment at two locations where iron levels exceeded 1000 ug/l. Since installation, iron levels now average below 50 ug/l at those locations.

Note #2 Water containing more than 20 mg/l of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on severely restricted sodium diets. Water containing more than 270 mg/l of sodium should not be used for drinking by people on moderately restricted sodium diets.

Definitions

New York State Mandatory Health Advisory

The New York State Department of Health requires that all Annual Water Quality Reports include the following information.

Where does our water come from?
In general, 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 can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activities. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: microbial contaminants; inorganic contaminants; pesticides and herbicides; organic chemical contaminants; and radioactive contaminants. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State and the EPA prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The DOH’s and the Food and Drug Administration’s regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

Are there contaminants in our drinking water?
It should be noted that all drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably 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) or the Nassau County Health Department at 516-571-3323 Monday through Friday 9AM to 4:45PM.

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

Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home’s plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home’s water, you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using tap water.

For more information: EPA’s Drinking Water and Health website: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwhealth.html

Straight Talk

This report is meant to provide you with the facts, not sales pitches, misleading statement, or wrong conclusions. We take the safety of your drinking water very seriously. Our families and friends live in your neighborhood too. If it was ever not safe to drink, it is our responsibility to notify our consumers with the aid of Nassau County Police and Health Department and our local news media.

Following these suggestions solves most complaints.

1. Turn the coldwater faucet in the bathtub on full for 1-2 minutes. If the problem is detected, check with your neighbors to see if they are having the same problem. If so, the problem may be with the incoming water, so call our Laboratory at Tel# 516-378-3922 ext.326.
2. If the water is OK, the problem is localized to your plumbing. Flush each coldwater tap for 15-30 seconds with strainers and aerator screens removed. Make sure your garden and washing machine hoses are off. Also run your sink sprayer hoses. Listen for pipes that bang or faucets that rattle, they can cause rusty water. Drains often give off odors. If your shower doesn’t smell chances are the water is OK.
3. Iron may deposit in hot water systems. Flush hot water units at least annually. Over sized tanks and very hot water require more flushing. Run the water from the drain valve for about 5 minutes at full to flush sediments from the tank. The water can look like strong coffee. Attaching a garden hose makes it easier. Turning the bathtub hot water faucet on full and off several times flushes coil systems. Do this once a month. If you see a significant loss of hot water production the coil may require professional cleaning. This is common with steam heating systems. Many water storage units are installed without drain valves, you may have to just let the hot water run in your tub to flush it. We don’t advise more than 30 minutes. This does waste water but it is cheaper then calling a professional. Hot water tanks should have water at 120 F and coil systems at between 160-180F to minimize rusty water. You can use a meat thermometer in a coffee cup filled with hot water to check temperature. RUSTY HOT water is an indication you need to flush or check your hot water system. It does not indicate you need a new one.

Water quality complaints made during non-business hours are directed to an on call supervisor. Please reserve those calls for emergencies. Example of an emergency: The problem just started and exists in all your cold water taps in the house. You tried running the bathtub cold water full speed for 2 minutes and its still not better and you’ve checked with your neighbors and they are having the same problem.

It is very important to remember that contaminants listed have not been detected in our wells

Volatile Organic Compounds Solvents-degreasers-fuel additives		Synthetic Organic Compounds Herbicides-pesticides-etc.
Dichlorodifluoromethane Chloromethane Vinyl Chloride Bromomethane Chloroethane Trichlorofluoromethane 1,1-Dichloroethene Methylene Chloride t-1,2-Dichloroethene 1,1-Dichloroethane 2,2-Dichloropropane c-1,2-Dichloroethene Bromochloromethane 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 1,1-Dichloropropene Carbon Tetrachloride 1,2-Dichloroethane Trichloroethene 1,2-Dichloropropane Dibromomethane 1,1,2 Trichloroethane Tetrachloroethene 1,3-Dichloropropane Chlorobenzene 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Bromobenzene 2-Chlorotoluene 4-Chlorotoluene	m-Dichlorobenzene p-Dichlorobenzene o-Dichlorobenzene 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Hexachlorobutadiene 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene t-1,3-Dichloropropene c-1,3-Dichloropropene Benzene Toluene Ethyl Benzene m + p Xylene o Xylene Styrene Isopropylbenzene n-Propylbenzene 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene tert-Butylbenzene 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene Sec-Butylbenzene p-Isopropyltoluene n-Butylbenzene Nitrobenzene 2,6-dinitrotoluene 2,4-dinitrotoluene Bromobenzene MTBE (ter.ButylMethylEther)	Endothall Diquat Dioxin 1,2-Dibromoethane DBCP Aldicarb sulfone Aldicarb sulfoxide Oxamyl Methomyl 3-Hydroxy Carbofuran Aldicarb Carbofuran Carbaryl Glyphosate Benzo(a)pyrene Bis(2-ethylhexyl)adipate Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate Hexachlorocyclopentadiene Alachlor Aldrin Atrazine Butachlor Chlordane Dieldrin Endrin 4,4-DDE Acetochlor EPTC		Heptachlor Heptachlor Epoxide Hexachlorobenzene Lindane Methoxychlor Metolachlor Metribuzin Propachlor Simazine Toxaphene Aroclor 1016 Aroclor 1221 Aroclor 1232 Aroclor 1242 Aroclor 1248 Aroclor 1254 Aroclor 1260 2,4-D Dalapon Dicamba Dinoseb Pentachlorophenol Pichloram 2,4,5-TP Terbacil Molinate DCPA mono-acid And di-acid degradate
Inorganic- Metals-etc Antimony Silver Thallium Arsenic Chromium Barium Free Cyanide Beryllium Fluoride Cadmium Mercury Nickel Selenium Ammonia Nitrate Nitrite Perchlorate MBAS-detergent Haloacetic Acids-(Dibromoacetic, dichloroacetic,monobromoacetic, monochloroacetic and Trichloroacetic)
Microbiological Total Coliform and E. Coli			Asbestos

Source Water Assessment

The New York State Department of Health completed a source water assessment for our wells in 2002. It includes a susceptibility rating based on the risk posed by each potential source of contamination. Land use identifies contaminant sources in the recharge zones and determines the prevalence rating of four categories of contaminants. Examples of sources are: microbes from septic systems, volatile organic contaminants from leaking fuel tanks, pesticide applications and nitrates from fertilizers. The predicted travel time of the water from the land surface to our well intakes determines the sensitivity rating. These ratings were then used to determine the susceptibility rating which is the probability a well will become contaminated. The results for each well’s susceptibility rating are reported in the table of Well Susceptibility Determination.

The source water assessment reports help predict future treatment and monitoring requirements for your drinking water.

Susceptibility Level: L=Low M=Medium H=High MH= Medium High VH= Very High
Travel time represents the estimated time for recharge water to go from the land surface to our well intakes.

These steps can stop predictions from becoming realities:
Report illegal dumping and/or chemical spills to the Police Department or the DEC.
Properly dispose of toxic waste material such as: used motor oil, cleaning solvents and batteries.
When applying fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, read and follow application instructions carefully or have the chemicals applied by a person certified to do so by the DEC.
Support regulations that protect our groundwater; i.e. land management, waste disposal, Super fund cleanup projects.

For more information visit -DOH Website: http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/swap.html

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) are currently monitoring and have begun remediation of a large contamination site within Nassau County. We are working with these agencies to protect our groundwater supply. The responsible parties have signed agreements with the EPA and DEC that require cleanup where possible and monitoring wells are in place to provide us with an advance warning system (at least 5 years). If contaminants are detected in the monitoring wells, the responsible parties will pay for construction and operational costs of treatment plants that will insure you that your drinking water remains contaminant free. Treatment systems are successfully removing contaminants from water systems throughout the County.

Conservation

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

• Saving water saves you money.
• Saving water reduces the energy required to pump water and the construction of more pumping systems.
• 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.
• Saving helps maintain water levels in lakes and ponds and keeps streams flowing that preserver Long Island’s natural ecosystems.

Conservation tips include:

• Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.
• Adjust washing machine water levels to the size of load.
• Check every faucet in your home for leaks. A slow drip can waste gallons a day. Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at night and check if the color shows up in the bowl in the morning. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible leaks.
• Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off all taps and water using appliances before bed, record the meter reading, and check the reading in the morning. If the reading increased, you have a leak.
• Sprinkling systems operate in the early morning hours, so make it a point to check for faulty or misdirected heads and leaking fittings. Look for soggy areas on lawns, wet walls, sidewalks, driveways and puddles in the street.
• If your sprinkling system does not have a moisture sensor, turn it off if rain is predicted. Your lawn requires about 1 cubic foot of water or 7.45gallons per 12 square feet per week. This equals 1” of rain per week.
• Sweep sidewalks instead of hosing them clean.
• Use a bucket for car washing and turn the hose on and off for rinsing.

*NO watering is allowed between the hours of 10AM and 4PM
*ODD numbered houses are allowed to water only on ODD numbered days of the month
*EVEN numbered or unnumbered houses are allowed to water only on EVEN numbered days of the month.

We are now installing water meters that are read via a radio signal that is detected by a vehicle driven down your street.

We are adding an iron removal system in Wantagh and increasing the filtering capacity at our Bellmore site. The Levittown and Bellmore iron removal systems have been very successful at eliminating discolored water complaints. EPA is requiring water systems to test their source waters for the presence of radiological contamination that can be either natural or man-made. Testing is to be conducted over the next few years and the results nation wide will help the EPA determine future monitoring requirements and set practical MCLGs. Our first round of testing has detected readings at the minimum detection limits in two of our wells. These readings are likely caused by the natural emissions from the bedrock beneath Long Island. More rounds of testing are scheduled in 2006.

Questions and Comments

For questions concerning this report or your water quality: Contact our Laboratory Director, Joseph Trotta, at (516) 378-3922 Ext.326 Monday through Friday 8AM-4:30PM or e-mail JFTrotta@aquaamerica.com

Websites for information about Drinking Water and the Environment

To request additional copies of this report: Contact our Outreach and Education Department at (516) 378-3922 Ext. 317 Monday through Friday 8AM-4:30PM or copy this report at our web site: www.nywater.com
A more detailed supplement to this report is available for viewing at our office and at the public libraries in our service area. Please ask at the reference desk of your library. A copy of the full Source Water Assessment Report is currently at our office.

The Company provides tours of a water treatment plant to youth organizations, speakers for informational talks to civic groups where consumers may voice their concerns, a bi-annual senior newsletter and informative billing inserts. Contact the Outreach and Education Department at (516) 378-3922 Ext. 317 Monday through Friday 8AM-4:30PM

For Kids:

Explorers’ Club - http://www.epa.gov/kids/

Long Islands' history - http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory

USGS Water Resources Education Resources - http://water.usgs.gov/education.html

USGS Learning Web - http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb

The Groundwater Foundation Kids Corner - http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html

Drinking Water Activities for Kids – EPA - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/Pubs/kids.html

The Groundwater Foundation - http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- Home Page- http://www.epa.gov/epahome/

EPA - Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water - http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/

EPA's Drinking Water and Health- what you need to know - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwhealth.html

Local drinking water information across USA (EPA) - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm

EPA's Federal Register Home Page - http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/#search

EPA - Laws and Regulations - http://www.epa.gov/epahome/rules.html#proposed

New York State Health Department - http://www.health.state.ny.us/

Part 5 of the New York State Sanitary Code - N.Y.S - Drinking Water Regulations http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/part5/subpart5.htm

N.Y.S - Drinking Water Regulations - http://www.co.dutchess.ny.us/dchd/envhealth/info/Law_Code/Codes.htm

New York State Health Department-Drinking Water - http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/main.htm

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - http://www.dec.state.ny.us/

U.S. Geological Survey - Home Page - http://www.usgs.gov/

New York State Public Service Commission - http://www.dps.state.ny.us/

New York State Public Service Commission - Tariff - http://www.dps.state.ny.us/ets/ets.html

The Groundwater Foundation - http://www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.html

Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors in New York State - http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf/

Environmental Defense - Scorecard Home -Check your neighborhood - http://www.scorecard.org/

USDA - Water Quality Information Center- National Agricultural Library - http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/#3

Search Bills Before U.S Congress - http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c107query.html#keyword

Search Bills Before NY State Legislators - http://assembly.senate.state.ny.us/leg

Information for owners of private wells (EPA) - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pwells1.html

International Bottled Water Association Website - http://www.bottledwater.org/