The following report is being provided by HCPSS’s Office of Safety, Environment and Risk Management as a courtesy (not required by law) and is meant to resemble the required annual consumer confidence report provided to consumers by their public water utility/provider informing them about their drinking water. The below language was based on EPA’s Guidance document entitled "Preparing Your Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report." Your school’s water is supplied by well(s) located on school property. All sampling results are below Federal and State Drinking Water Standards. Should anyone have questions or comments, please contact the Office of Safety, Environment and Risk Management at 410-313-6699. You may also contact Ken Robey, Executive Director, Facilities Planning and Management at 410-313-1527 or Jeff Klenk, Environmental Specialist at 410-313-6699.

Below are the following contaminant categories that are regularly monitored to ensure safe drinking water quality.

Parts Per Million (ppm) or Milligrams per Liter (mg/l) = a unit used to denote concentration of chemicals or other substances. The unit implies a part of something in one million parts of water or other substances. The following comparisons help in putting this concentration in perspective; 1 inch in 16 miles, 1 cent in $10,000 or 1 drop in 60 quarts of liquid.

Parts Per Billion (ppb) or Micrograms per Liter (ug/l) = a unit used to denote concentration of chemicals or other substances. The unit implies a part of something in one billion parts of water or other substances. The following comparisons help in putting this concentration in perspective; 1 inch in 16,000 miles, 1 cent in $10,000,000 or 1 drop in 60,000 quarts of liquid.

Action Level (AL)= the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements the water system must follow.

Maximum Contaminant Level (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 (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.

Please note that a public notification is required when a standard is violated and is issued by the Office of Safety, Environment and Risk Management.

All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are naturally occurring or man-made. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Standards are set at very stringent levels for health effects and incorporate a margin of safety. Current standards are designed to protect children and adults. The standards take into account the potential effects of contaminants on segments of the population that are most at risk. The MCL is based on drinking 2- liters every day at the MCL level for a lifetime (70 years) to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

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.

# All VOCs were non-detectable for MDE’s sampling conducted on February 20, 2007.