City of Bloomington Utilities Releases Annual Water Quality Report

(BLOOMINGTON) – Along with their June bill, City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) customers are receiving their annual consumer confidence report. 

The 2019 Water Quality Report summarizes the results of the water quality measurements accumulated by CBU in 2018.  This report is released annually by all community public water systems as mandated by the Safe Drinking Water Amendments of 1996.  

The 2019 report shows that Bloomington’s drinking water is free of over 60 contaminants that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracks and for which it sets acceptable limits in water systems around the country.  Of the 14 contaminants that were detected locally, none was over the EPA limit. 

A complete list of National Primary Drinking Water Regulations is available at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/npwdr_complete_table.pdf

CBU’s report on 2018 drinking water quality includes a violation notice for calcium levels, which were recorded as lower than the EPA’s prescribed limit 18 times in 6 months, a rate twice as frequent as allowed.  The EPA monitors calcium levels as part of the corrosion control requirements under the Lead and Copper Rule of the Clean Water Act.

Calcium is important to customers because it serves to line pipes inside a home’s plumbing system and protects against exposure from lead components.  Most municipalities stopped using lead components by the 1920s, but the lead was not completely out of use in plumbing until amendments to the Clean Water Act in 1986.

The report shows that lead has not been detected in the drinking water that leaves CBU’s water treatment plant or its distribution system. 

The naturally low calcium levels in Lake Monroe (Bloomington’s source for drinking water) were accentuated by unusually heavy precipitation last year.  EPA requires that a utility increase monitoring frequency for the lead when the calcium concentrations are low. 

CBU is currently testing for lead 120 times per year and working with its water-treatment consultant to review options for maintaining calcium levels in the finished water. 

Customers concerned about the presence of lead plumbing in their home may call CBU’s Water Quality Coordinator at 812-349-3655 to participate in the home test program. 

“CBU continues working to maintain Bloomington’s drinking water at the highest level of safety,” said CBU Director Vic Kelson.  “As climate change continues to challenge the way we manage this natural resource, CBU is committed to vigilant testing, environmental best practices, and the most advanced technological innovations to meet and surpass state and federal water safety standards.”

Customers who have opted for paperless billing have been emailed an electronic version of the report, which is also posted at https://bloomington.in.gov/utilities

Additional hard copies may be requested with a call to 812-349-3655.