Marshall Couty Post-2024-05-23

10A —Marshall County Post, Thursday, May 23, 2024 0DUVKDOO &RXQW\ %RDUG RI 3XEOLF 8WLOLWLHV :DWHU 4XDOLW\ 5HSRUW Is my drinking water safe? Yes, our water meets all of EPA s health standards. We have conducted numerous tests for over 80 contaminants that may be in drinking water. As you ll see in the chart on the back, we only detected 9 of these contaminants. We found all of these contaminants at safe levels. What is the source of my water? Your water, which is surface water, comes from the Duck River. Our goal is to protect our water from contaminants, and we are working with the State to determine the vulnerability of our water source to potential contamination. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has prepared a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Report for the untreated water sources serving this water system. The SWAP Report assesses the susceptibility of untreated water sources to potential contamination. To ensure safe drinking water, all public water systems treat and routinely test their water. Water sources have been rated as reasonably susceptible, moderately susceptible or slightly susceptible based on geologic factors and human activities in the vicinity of the water source. The Lewisburg Water System sources rated as reasonably susceptible to potential contamination. An explanation of Tennessee’s Source Water Assessment Program, the Source Water Assessment summaries, susceptibility scorings and the overall TDEC report to EPA can be viewed online at https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/water- quality/source-water-assessment.html or you may contact the Water System to obtain copies of specific assessments. Why are there 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 (800-426-4791). Este informe contiene información muy importante. Tradúscalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien. For more information about your drinking water, please call Tim Farlow at 931-359-6905. How can I get involved? Our Water Board meets on the third Tuesday each month at the Utility Office at 9:00 AM. Please feel free to participate in these meetings. Is our water system meeting other rules that govern our operations? The State and EPA require us to test and report on our water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. We have met all of these requirements. Results of unregulated contaminant analysis are available upon request. We want you to know that we pay attention to all the rules. Other 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: · 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, can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater 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 stormwater 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 and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation prescribe regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Lewisburg's water treatment processes are designed to reduce any such substances to levels well below any health concern. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. 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 not only their drinking water, but food preparation, personal hygiene, and precautions in handling infants and pets from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426- 4791). Lead in Drinking Water 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. Marshall County Board of Public Utilities is responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or 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 800-426-4791 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead Water System Security Following the events of September 2001, we realize that our customers are concerned about the security of their drinking water. We urge the public to report any suspicious activities at any utility facilities, including treatment plants, pumping stations, tanks, fire hydrants, etc. to 931-359-6905 Think before you flush! Flushing unused or expired medicines can be harmful to your drinking water. Properly disposing of unused or expired medication helps protect you and the environment. Keep medications out of Tennessee's waterways by disposing them in one of our permanent pharmaceutical takeback bins. There are nearly 100 take back bins located across the state, to find a convenient location please visit: https://tdeconline.tn.gov/rxtakeback/ :KDW GRHV WKLV FKDUW PHDQ" : D W H U 4 X D O L W \ ' D W D • MCLG - Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or 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. • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level, or 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. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect. • MRDL: 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 the control of microbial contaminants. • MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfectant level goal. 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. • AL - Action Level, or the concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. • Below Detection Level (BDL) - laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present at a level that can be detected. • Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present. • Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) – explained as a relation to time and money as one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000. • Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - explained as a relation to time and money as one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000. • Million Fibers per Liter (MFL) - million fibers per liter is a measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers. • Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the clarity of water. 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The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. 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I love to putter around and work in the garden, but my back and knees have caused me to curtail my gardening activities, which I miss greatly. Older Gardner Dear Older, There’s no doubt that gardening can be hard on an aging body. Joints sti ff en up, kneeling for prolonged periods hurts, and bending and reaching can strain muscles. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby. You just need to garden di ff erently, add some special tools and know your limits. Here are some tips that may help you. Limber Up With gardening, good form is very important as well as not overdoing any one activity. A common problem is that gardeners often kneel or squat, putting extra pressure on their knees. Then, to spare their knees, they might stand and bend over for long stretches to weed, dig and plant, straining their back and spine. To help protect your body, you need to warm up before beginning. Start by stretching, focusing on the legs and lower back. And keep changing positions and activities. Don’t spend hours weeding a fl owerbed. After 15 minutes of weeding, you should stand up, stretch, and switch to another activity like pruning the bushes or just take a break. It’s also important that you recognize your physical limitations and don’t try to do toomuch all at once. And, when lifting heavier objects, remember to use your legs to preserve your back. You can do this by keeping the item close to your body and squatting to keep your back as vertical as possible. Get Better Tools The right gardening equipment can help too. Kneeling pads can protect knees, and garden seats or stools are both back and knee savers. Lightweight garden carts can make hauling bags of mulch, dirt, plants or other heavy objects much easier. And long-handled gardening and weeding tools can help ease the strain on the back by keeping you in a standing upright position versus bent over. There are also ergonomic gardening and pruning tools with fatter handles and other design features that can make lawn and garden activities a little easier. Fiskars and Felco make a number of specialty tools that you can buy online or at local retail stores that sell lawn and garden supplies. Also check out Gardeners. com and RadiusGarden. com, two online stores that sell specialized gardening tools and equipment that are very helpful to older gardeners. Make Watering Easier The chore of carrying water or handling a heavy, awkward hose can also be di ffi cult for older gardeners. Some helpful options include lightweight fabric or expandable hoses instead of heavy rubber hoses; soaker or drip hoses that can be snaked throughout the garden; thin coil hoses that can be used on the patio or small areas; a hose caddy and reel for easier hose transport around the yard; and a self-winding hose chest that puts the hose up automatically. There are also a variety of ergonomic watering wands that are lightweight, easy to grip, and reach those hard to-get- to plants. To fi nd these types of watering aids check with your local lawn and garden supplies stores or visit Gardeners.com . Bring the Garden to You If your backyard garden has become too much to handle, you should consider elevated garden beds or container gardening – using big pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, barrels or tub planters. This is a much easier way to garden because it eliminates much of the bend and strain of gardening but still provides the pleasure of making things grow. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.