Water and Wastewater Department

Water Quality Report for 2002

Your Water is Safe and Healthy!

The City of Bastrop is proud to present to you our 2002 DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT. Providing safe and reliable drinking water to our customers is a high priority. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rates Bastrop a "Superior Public Water Supply" the highest rating given by the State of Texas.

Our water system is monitored daily by licensed personnel on the City staff and inspected periodically by the TCEQ's Water Utilities Division. As the water is withdrawn from the ground, it is chlorinated and treated in accordance with federal and state requirements and pumped directly into the water system or into one of five storage tanks. In one elevated storage tank and four ground storage tanks, the City has the capacity to store 2,450,000 gallons of water. The elevated storage tank and two ground storage tanks located on Loop 150E are used to maintain water system pressure.

With approximately 2,220 service connections and daily demands exceeding 1 million gallons per day with up to almost 2 million gallons on hot summer days, we are constantly developing new strategies and re-defining old ones as we address new challenges for tomorrow.

Did You Know...

A small amount of fluoride is added to your water by our operators. We keep the level at 1.0 part per million (ppm). This is the amount of fluoride desired by dentists in our community for dental health purposes.

Chlorine is added to our water for disinfection. The use of chlorine is the most common disinfection technique nationally. A slight residual of chlorine (about 1.5 ppm) is desired to assure safe water.

The most common source of lead in drinking water is from the plumbing in you home. Your plumbing may have lead pipes or lead solder in the connnections and/or brass fixtures

Hints: Because water standing in the pipes tends to absorb lead, clear the pipes before drinking by letting tap run until the water is cold. Since warm water absorbs more lead than cold, always use cold water when you cook.

Be Water-Wise ...

Everyone wants to help conserve valuable resources. And water is one of the most valuable there
is. We couldn't live without it. Follow these simple suggestions and you'll be water-wise, not wasteful.

(Provided by the American Water Works Association.)

ALL Drinking Water May Contain Contaminants

When drinking water meets federal standards, there may not be any health based benefits to purchasing bottled water or point of use devices. 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 Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791)

Taste, Odor and Color Problems - "Will it make me sick?"

Many constituents (such as calcium, sodium, or manganese) which are often found in drinking water, can cause taste, color and odor problems. The taste and odor constituents are called secondary constituents and are regulated by the State of Texas, not the EPA. These constituents are not causes for health concerns. Therefore, secondaries are not required to be reported in this document, but they may affect the appearance and taste of your water.

Secondary Constituents

Many constituents (such as calcium, sodium, or iron) which are often found in drinking water, can cause taste, color and odor problems. The taste and odor contituents are called secondary constituents and are regulated by the State of Texas, not EPA. These constituents are not causes for health concerns. Therefore, secondaries are not required to be reported in this document, but they may greatly affect the appearance and taste of your water.

Special Notice to the At-Risk Customers

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/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (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 (1-800-426-4791).

En Espanol

Este reporte incluye informacion importante sobre el agua para tomar. Si tiene preguntas o'discusiones sobre este reporte en espanol, favor de llamar al tel. (512) 321-2124 par hablar con una persona bilingue en espanol.