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South Harrison Water Corp. |
Most people do not realize the amount of water quality testing required by the US EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Every single day of the year one of South Harrison Water's state certified operators runs a variety of water quality tests on our well water, finished water, and distribution system water. The well water is what is pumped into our treatment plant, finished water is what we pump out of our plant to our customers, and distribution system water is checked at the middle of our system. The test results for each test are logged on a monthly operating report that is submitted to IDEM for their review at the end of each month.
The water quality tests that SHWC personnel conduct on our water daily include: well water - hardness, alkalinity, pH, temperature, and water level draw down; finished water - hardness, alkalinity, ph, and temperature. In addition to these tests, SHWC licensed operators also test: finished water - chlorine (total) and chlorine (residual); distribution system water - chlorine (total), chlorine (residual) and fluoride. Each of these test results, as well as many other system flows and pressures, are logged each and every day of the year.
In addition to these routine tests, SHWC is also required to have many other tests ran by a state certified laboratory. At least 8 samples per month are taken at various points around our distribution system to test for total coliform (bacteria). We are also required to test for 20 inorganic compounds, 35 synthetic organic compounds, 24 volatile organic compounds, nitrates, radionuclides, lead & copper, sodium, and a variety of un-regulated contaminants. The frequency of this required testing, and the maximum levels of each substance considered safe, is established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and IDEM. These regulatory agencies also establish public notice rules if the maximum levels are exceeded.
All in all, over 4,800 tests are conducted every year, to ensure the quality of our drinking water. We are also required to send an annual Consumer Confidence Report to every customer by June 30th that details our testing and test results. Online versions of the report are available on this web site.