We are pleased to present to you this year's Annual Water Quality Report. This report informs you about the quality water and services we deliver to you. Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We are committed to ensuring the quality of your water. Our water source consists of six wells located throughout the town of Slatersville.

The RI Department of Health, in cooperation with other state and federal agencies, has assessed the threats to Slatersville’s water supply sources. The assessment considered the intensity of development, the presence of businesses and facilities that use, store or generate potential contaminants, how easily contaminants may move through the soils in the Source Water Protection Area (SWPA), and the sampling history of the water.

Our monitoring program continues to assure that the water delivered to your home is safe and wholesome. However, the assessment found that the water source is at MODERATE RISK of contamination. This means that the water could one day become contaminated. Monitoring and protection efforts are necessary to assure continued water quality. For a copy of the complete Source Water Assessment Report, please contact your water supplier, or Clay Commons at the Department of Health

There are no regularly scheduled meetings, therefore; if you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Manuel Alvarez at (401) 767-2202. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility.

Slatersville Public Supply monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. This report shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1^st to December 31^st, 2002. The contaminants fall into two categories: regulated, where enforceable standards or MCLs have been established, and unregulated, where only health advisory levels have been set. Some contaminants are tested for less frequently. The most recent results are reported along with the date the sample was taken. A table of "Testing Results" identifies those constituents that were detected in Slatersville Public Supply’s water sources.

The sources of drinking water include rivers, lakes, ponds and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and radioactive material and can pick up substances resulting from human or animal activity. All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are naturally occurring or man made. 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, livestock operations, and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which 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-occuring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) - 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 - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.

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

Treatment Technique (TT) - A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) -The MCL is 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 MCLG is 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.

The table shows that our system uncovered some problems this year. The potential adverse health effects are as follows: Copper: Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson's Disease should consult their personal doctor.

Alpha emitters: Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation. Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

The State of Rhode Island requires testing for other compounds not regulated by the US EPA. The following compounds were detected in Slatersville Public Supply’s water.

Sodium: sodium was detected at a level of 28.8 in well #6, at 16.6 mg/L in Slater Village and at 4.3 mg/L at Tifft Rd. on 3/12/01. Sodium was not detected in the other water sources. If sodium is detected at 20 mg/L, the RI Department of Health notifies physicians in the area. If sodium is detected at 100 mg/L, your system is required to notify its customers through a public notice. This is done for the benefit of those who, on advice of a physician, are on a low sodium diet.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. All 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 the 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 at 1-800-426-4791. 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, as recommended by health professionals, at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect. For most people, the health benefits of drinking plenty of water outweigh any possible health risk from these contaminants.

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 microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).