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Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 1999

P.O. Box 246 - Capitan, NM 88316 Phone: 505-354-2247 fax 505-354-2713
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Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 1999

Is my water safe?

We're pleased to present to you last year's Annual Quality Water Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We want you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water. Our water source is ground water from two wells four miles east of Capitan. Our wells draw water from the San Andres formation of the aquifer. Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking water health standards. Local water vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that our system has never violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. The Village of Capitan is in the process of developing a wellhead protection plan.

This report is a snapshot of the water quality. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

The Village of Capitan routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws.
The table on the following pages shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st,
1999. As you can see by the table our system had no violations for the year 2001. We're proud that your drinking water
meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements. We have learned through our monitoring and testing that some
constituents have been detected. The EPA has determined that your water is SAFE at these levels. As water travels
over the land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic
chemicals and radioactive substances. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some constituents. It's important to remember that the presence of these constituents
does not necessarily pose a health risk. MCL's are set at very stringent levels. 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. 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).

Results of radon monitoring

Radon is a radioactive gas that you can't see, taste, or smell. It is found throughout the U.S. Radon can move up through the ground and into a home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Radon can build up to high levels in all types of homes. Radon can also get into indoor air when released from tap water from showering, washing dishes, and other household activities. Compared to radon entering the home through soil, radon entering the home through tap water will in most cases be a small source of radon in indoor air. Radon is a known human carcinogen. Breathing air containing radon can lead to lung cancer. Drinking water containing radon may also cause increased risk of stomach cancer. If you are concerned about radon in your home, test the air in your home. Testing is inexpensive and easy. Fix your home if the level of radon in your air is 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) or higher. There are simple ways to fix a radon problem that aren't too costly. For additional information, call your state radon program or call EPA's Radon Hotline (800-SOS-RADON).

We at the Village of Capitan work around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children's future. If you have any questions .about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Terry Cox or David Cox at Village Hall - 354-2247. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings, held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Village Hall Building, 114 Lincoln.

Espanol (Spanish)

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

Water Quality Data Table

The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.

Important Drinking Water Definitions:

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: 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: 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.

Your
Range
Sample

Contaminants (units)
 MCLG
 MCL
Water
 Low
 High
Date
 Violation
Typical Source









Inorganic Contaminants







Arsenic (ppb)
NA
50
0.5
 NA
----
No
 Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes
Barium (ppm)
 2
 2
 0.1527
 NA
----
 No
 Discharge of drilling wastes: Discharge from metal refineries,
Erosion of natural deposits
Cadminum (ppb)
 5
 5
 0.2
 NA
----
 No
 Corrosion of galvanized pipes;
Erosion of natural deposits
Discharge from metal refineries;
runoff from waste batteries and paints
Chromium [Total) (ppb)
 100
 100
 0.1
 NA
----
 No
 Discharge from steel and pulp mills;
Erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride (ppm)
 4
4
0.84
 NA
----
 No
 Erosion of natural deposits-, Water
additive which promotes strong
teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and
aluminum factories
Nickel (ppb)
 MNR
 MNR
 4.04
 NA
----
 No
 Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching
Selenium (ppb)
 50
 50
 1
 NA
----
 No
 Discharge from petroleum and metal
refineries; Erosion of natural
deposits; Discharge from mines
Thallium (ppb)
 0.5
 2
 0.08
 NA
----
 No
 Discharge from electronics, glass and
Leaching from ore-processing sites;
drug factories
Radioactive Contaminants







Alpha emitters (pCi/L)
 0
 15
 5.7
 NA
----
 No
 Erosion of natural deposits
Beta/photon emitters (pCi/L)
 NA
 NA
 4.9
 NA
----
 No
 Decay of natural and man-made
deposits. The EPA considers 50
pCi/L to be the level of concern for
Beta Particles
Unregulated Contaminants







Sulfate (ppm)
 MNR
 MNR
 237
 NA
----



Units Description:
NA: Not applicable
ND: Not detected
NR: Not reported
MNR Monitoring not required, but recommended.

ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l)

ppb: parts per billion. or micrograms per liter (µg/l)

pCi/L: picuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)

For more information contact:
Village Of Capitan
Phone: 505-354-2247
Attn: Terry Cox or David Cox
Fax: 505-354-2834
P.O. Box 246
E-mail:villagekg@netscape.com
114 Lincoln

Capitan, NM 88316-0246








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