Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) 2006

NORTHAMPTON, BUCKS COUNTY,
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY PWSID #1090089

Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

We are very pleased to provide you with this year's Annual Drinking Water Quality Report/Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). We want to keep you informed about the excellent water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our goal is and always has been, to provide you a dependable supply of drinking water.

WATER SYSTEM INFORMATION: This report shows our water quality and what it means. If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Thomas A. Zeuner, Executive Director at 215-357-8515 (M-F: 8:30AM-4:30 PM). We want you to be informed about your water supply. If you want to learn more please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. These meetings are held on Wednesday evenings at 7: 30 PM at the Authority offices at 111 Township Road, Richboro, PA. Prior to attending, please call 215-357-8515 to insure that the meeting has not been postponed.

Our water comes from both the City of Philadelphia and from our own wells. The Baxter Treatment Plant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania draws water from the Delaware River and treats it using the most modem techniques. The Authority's deep wells pump water from the Stockton formation, which underlies most of Northampton Township.

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 (800-426-4791).

MONITORING YOUR WATER: We routinely monitor for contaminants in your drinking water according to federal and state laws. The following tables show the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2006. The State allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data is from prior years in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The date has been noted on the sampling results table.

DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS:
Action Level (AL) -The concentration of a containment, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Maximum Containment Level (MCL) -The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Containment Level Goal (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 (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 (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 (TT) -A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Mrem/year=millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)
pCi/L=picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
ppb=parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/L)
ppm=parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppq=parts per quadrillion, or pricograms per liter
ppt=parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter

MONITORING REQUIREMENTS NOT MET FOR NORTHAMPTON BUCKS COUNTY MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
Our water systemviolated a driking water standard over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers , you have the right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.

We are required to monitor your water for specific contaminats on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of wheater or not drinking water meets health standards. During 2006 we did not complete all of the tests for VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time.

SUMMARY:

Contaminants:	VOC's Volatile Organic Compounds
Number of Samples we were supposed to take in 2006:	17
Number of Samples we actually took in 2006:	5
When samples should have been taken:	13 Locations Annually, 1 Location Quarterly
Date Follow-up Samples were taken:	January 31, 2007
Results to Follow-up Samples:	NO DETECTION of VOC's in any follow-up samples

VOC's also know as volatile organic compounds, are tested by collecting one sample and testing that sample for all the VOC's. VOC's are commonly used in industrial and manufacturing processes. VOC's include benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, 1.2 dichlorobenzene, 1.2 dichloroethane, cis-dichlororoethylene, trans-dichlorooethylene, dichloromethane, 1.2 dichloropropane, ethyibenzene, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, 1.1.1 trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, toluene, 1.2.4 trichlorobenzene, 1.1 dichloroethylene, 1.1.2 trichloroethane, vinyl chloride, and xylene.

The authority has reviewed and amended its procedures to ensure testing and reporting will be submitted in accordance with the rule requirements in the future.

Click here to view the Detected Sample Results

CLARITY CHARACTERISTICS- INFORMATION PROVIDED BY (PWD) PHILADELPHIA WATER DEPARTMENT

	Baxter Treatment Plant
Treatment Technique Required	95% of samples must be below 0.30 ntu
Highest Single Value in 2006	0.09 ntu
Hardness (as Calcium Carbonate)	83	Annual Average ppm
	5	Annual Average Grains
	62	Annual Minimum ppm
	4	Annual Minimum Grains
	105	Annual Maximum ppm
	6	Annual Maximum Grains
Alkalinity (as Calcium Carbonate)	37	Annual Average ppm
	22	Annual Minimum ppm
	50	Annual Maximum ppm

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION:
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 run-off, 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 storm water runoff, and residential uses.
·Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts 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 your tap water is safe to drink, the EPA and DEP pre- scribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA and DEP regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
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 (800- 426-4791).

Water conservation benefits the environment and
SAVES YOU MONEY!!!