Water and Pollution Control Department

1999 Water Quality Report

The Water Plant is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to provide safe, reliable drinking water to Ames.

Ames water quality is excellent.

City of Ames Water and Pollution Control Department staff are proud to provide the citizens of Ames, Iowa State University, and surrounding rural areas with a safe, reliable, and good-tasting supply of drinking water.

This report describes what city staff have been doing to ensure that the water meets not only federal and state regulations, but also our customers’ expectations for water quality. Included in the report is information about where Ames water comes from, a brief description of how the raw water is treated at the Water Plant, what we test the treated water for, and how the test results compare to state and federal drinking water standards.

It is important to us that our customers are informed about their drinking water. If you have questions about the Ames drinking water or this report, please call the Water Plant at 239-5150 or send e-mail to ppropes@city.ames.ia.us. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you!

Where Does Ames’ Water Come From?

City of Ames pumps its raw groundwater from alluvial aquifers as shown in the diagram to the right. The wells are 87- to 150-feet deep, depending on their location and the depth to the groundwater. Sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, and (as in Ames) 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. 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

Want to Give Your Input?

Ames water treatment process

Above is a schematic of the processes used to treat the raw groundwater before it is distributed to our customers.

If you'd like to ask questions about your drinking water or give us some ideas to improve our service to you, please call us at 239-5150 or e-mail us at ppropes@city.ames.ia.us. The Ames City Council is our governing body. You can also bring your ideas to the public forums at the City Council meetings which are generally held at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays each month in the City Council Chambers at 515 Clark Avenue. We welcome you input.

City of Ames Treated Drinking Water Quality

The following table lists the elements or compounds detected in the City of Ames treated drinking water. All are below allowable levels. Not listed are 43 other compounds, including
pesticides and herbicides, that were analyzed but not detected.

Substance	Highest Level Allowed (EPA’s MCL)	Highest Level Detected	Range of Detected Values	Year Sampled	No. of Samples	Ideal Goals (EPA’s MCLGs)	Potential Source of Substance
Regulated Substances
Coliform Bacteria	5%/month	2%	0 - 2%	1998	652	0%	Human & animal fecal wastes
Gross Alpha Emitters	15 pCi/L	2.0 pCi/L	<1.3 - 2.0 pCi/L	1997	2	0 pCi/L	Natural deposits
Total Trihalomethanes	100 m g/L	7 m g/L	4 - 7 m g/L	1998	4	0 ug/L	Disinfection by-products
Lead*	90th percentile at or above 15 mg/L (action level)	47 m g/L 90th percentile= < 5 ug/L	<5 - 47 mg/L	1998	49**	0 ug/L	Household plumbing fixtures
Copper*	90th percentile at or above 1.3 mg/L (action level)	0.03 mg/L 90th percentile= 0.02 mg/L	<0.02 - 0.03 mg/L	1998	49	1.3 mg/L	Household plumbing fixtures
Fluoride (regulated)*	4 mg/L	1.1 mg/L	1.0 - 1.1 mg/L	1994	2	4 mg/L	Added for teeth; natural deposits
Total Haloacetic Acids*	60 m g/L	3 m g/L	3 mg/L	1997	1	No published limit	Disinfection by-products
1,1-Dichloroethane*	7 m g/L	0.9 m g/L	< 0.5 - 0.9 m g/L	1995	2	7 m g/L	Plastics & lacquers manufacturing
Sodium*	No published limit	20 mg/L	17 - 20 mg/L	1994	2	No published limit	Home softeners; table salt; medicines; household products
Operating Parameters
pH	No published limit	9.69	9.17 - 9.69	1998	365	No published limit	Measure of water alkalinity or acidity
Chlorine Residual	> 1.5 mg/L	2.87 mg/L	1.61 - 2.87 mg/L	1998	365	No published limit	Water disinfection
Fluoride	4 mg/L	1.41 mg/L	0.42 - 1.41 mg/L	1998	365	4 mg/L	Added for teeth; natural deposits
Turbidity	0.5 NTU	0.22 NTU	0.01 - 0.22 NTU	1998	362	No published limit	Natural deposits; plant material
Total Hardness	No published limit	196 mg/L	133 - 196 mg/L	19987	106	No published limit	Erosion of minerals as water passes through aquifer
Iron	No published limit	0.26 mg/L	0.00 - 0.26 mg/L	1998	106	No published limit	Erosion of minerals as water passes through aquifer
Radon 222 pCi/L	300 pCi/L (proposed)	<25	<25	1995	3	No published limit	Erosion of natural deposits
Nitrate	10 mg/L	<0.1	<0.1	1998	2	10 mg/L	Fertilizer; treated wastewater; animal waste

Definitions

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level - The highest level of a substance that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
MCLG = Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - The level of a substance in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
mg/L = ppm = Part per million
ug/L = ppb = Part per billion
Action Level - The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
pCi/L - Picocuries per liter is a measure of radioactivity in water.
Treatment Technique - A required process intended to reduce the level of a substance in drinking water.
NTU = Nephelometric Turbidity Units
< = Less than
> = Greater than

*The City of Ames is not required to analyze for these parameters every year. The results shown are from the most recent sampling prior to the end of 1998.
** Only one sample greater than 15 mg/L (the action level)

Cryptosporidium and Giardia:

Cryptosporidium and giardia are microscopic organisms that are typically found in surface waters. If the organisms are ingested, they can cause diarrhea, fever, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Because Ames uses only groundwater, contaminants such as cryptosporidium and giardia, as well as herbicides and pesticides, are not found in the Ames water source.

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However, some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons, such as persons undergoing chemo-therapy, 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 microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

Notice

On July 29, 1998, the City of Ames Water Plant notified the public that a monitoring violation of the water testing schedule had occurred.

The Ames Water Plant is required by state and federal regulations to collect one sample each calendar quarter for total trihalomethanes. The Ames Water Plant staff did not collect the sample for the second quarter of 1998. As soon as notification of the oversight was received, a sample was collected and sent to the University Hygienic Laboratory for analysis, bringing the Water Plant back into compliance.

There is no health risk associated with this monitoring violation. The Ames Water Plant is on a reduced monitoring schedule because of its long history of very low trihalomethane values and will continue to be on a reduced schedule. The City regrets its failure to collect the sample. Staff will ensure that the testing schedule is observed in the future.

For questions about any of the information shown above,
or for any other questions, please contact

Ames Water Treatment Plant
300 East 5th Street
Building Number 1
Ames, Iowa 50010
Phone: (515) 239-5150 Fax: (515) 239-5251
E-Mail: ppropes@city.ames.ia.us