CITY OF SHAWNEE
Consumer Confidence Report
1999 Water Quality Report
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Dear Customer,

We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report. The purpose of this report is to inform you about the quality of water and services we deliver to you every day. Our constant goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water. We take great care in our efforts to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water sources.

Shawnee Twin Lakes and Wes Watkins Reservoir provide all our water. The lakes supply surface water to an 8 million gallon per day treatment facility. In addition to the residents, businesses, and industries in Shawnee, the Shawnee Public Water System supplies potable water to Pottawatomie County Development Authority and the City of Meeker.

Improvements Planned

In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, we plan to make improvements to the treatment facility and distribution system that will benefit all of our customers. System improvements are sometimes reflected as rate structure adjustments. There has been no increase in the rates since July 1, 1994.

In 1999, the City of Shawnee employed the consulting firm of Holloway, Updike and Bellen, Inc. to determine improvements needed to enable the plant to comply with pending changes in the regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Treatment capacity will also be increased to meet future needs.

Report Contents

The following Water Quality Report is a mandate of the Environmental Protection Agency, in compliance with the 1996 amended Safe Drinking Water Act. The regulations requires all community water systems to deliver a brief annual water quality report; and includes required language that is not suggestive of a problem for Shawnee customers. We believe this is a great tool for educating and communicating with our customers. As you read this report, if you need additional information, or if you would like something clarified please contact James B. Cole, Public Works Director, at 878-1662. This report shows our water quality for 1999 and explains what it means. We want to inform our valued customers about their water utility. You are welcome to attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. The Shawnee City Commission/Shawnee Municipal Authority meets the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall.

The Shawnee Public Water System routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to federal and state laws. The table at the right shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, 1999. (Some of the data may be more than one year old because the state allows us to monitor for some contaminants less often than once per year.)

Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) 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 at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean, quality water this year.

Respectfully,

James B. Cole
Director of Public Works

(1) Total Coliform. In April there were two (2) positive samples. Re-tests indicated that there was no violation.

(73) TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes]. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

* Action Level – 90% of samples must be below this level.

What does this mean?

The table shows that our system exceeded the MCL for total trihalomethanes and was in violation during the last quarter in 1998. Notice of this violation was published in the Shawnee News Star on February 19, 1999 in compliance with federal and state regulations. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The City of Shawnee has addressed this problem by employing the engineering firm of HUB+Garver to determine needed improvements to meet current and future regulations. Immediate action will be taken to begin improvements necessary to continue supplying Shawnee with excellent water.

TTHMs are by-products of the disinfection process. The MCL limit is 100 parts per billion calculated on a running quarterly average. The running quarterly average for 1999 was 110 parts per billion.

All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are naturally occurring or are man-made. Those constituents can be microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals, or radioactive materials. 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. 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).

Definitions you need to know:

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant below which there is no known or expected risk to healt. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.