your water quality information consumer confidence report

issued june 2016

SUEZ | Delaware Operations

our commitment to you Dear Customer, SUEZ monitors your drinking water for over 100 contaminants. Last year your drinking water met or exceeded all standards for these contaminants as set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Delaware Office of Drinking Water (ODW). There were two, non health related notices of non-compliance. For more information, please see the section titled “Violation”.

“We take great pride in our ability to provide you with drinking water that meets or surpasses all state and federal standards.”

SUEZ provides reliable and affordable drinking water to our customers and we strive to meet or exceed all federal and local standards. These standards are set by the EPA and by the state in which you reside. SUEZ regularly tests the water to be sure that it meets drinking water standards. The test results are on file with the State of Delaware Office of Drinking Water (ODW). This is the agency that monitors and regulates drinking water quality in your state. The EPA and ODW require water suppliers to provide a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), also known as a Water Quality Report, to customers on an annual basis. This CCR provides information on where the water comes from, what it contains, and whether it meets drinking water standards. If you have a specific concern or question regarding water quality, you may contact our Water Quality Department at 302.252.3004. For other questions or more information about SUEZ, please call our Customer Service Center. SUEZ Delaware Operations customers call 302.633.5900. Additional information about drinking water can also be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791. Sincerely,

Larry Finnicum Delaware Operations Manager

who we are 2 | consumer confidence report

SUEZ provides water and wastewater services to over 7 million people in the United States. In addition to owning and operating regulated utilities, SUEZ operates municipal systems through public-private partnerships and contract agreements. Three of the nation’s largest water and wastewater contracts are operated by SUEZ.

source water assessment The Division of Public Health, in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, has conducted source water assessments for nearly all community water systems in the State of Delaware. The Source Water Assessment Protection Program (SWAPP) for SUEZ’ sources for the Stanton and Christiana treatment plants, located at the confluence of the Red and White Clay creeks and at Smalleys Pond on the Christiana River, was completed in 2002. The assessments indicate that the sources are considered highly vulnerable to substances entering the untreated water supplies. It is important to note that all surface water systems are considered highly vulnerable since they are open to the atmosphere. The water sources are most vulnerable to contamination from wastewater or stormwater discharges, including NPDES discharges, spray irrigation sites, large septic systems, agriculture, industry and transportation corridors. If you would like to obtain a copy of this report, contact our Customer Service Center at 302.633.5900. This source water assessment is also available on the internet at http://www.delawaresourcewater.org/assessments.

health note 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 infections by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791.

lead information If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. SUEZ is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426 4791 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. Frequently asked questions about lead in drinking water can be found here: https://www.mysuezwater.com/sites/default/files/SUEZ_8.5x11_Lead_FAQ.pdf

violation A clerical error that caused a two day delay in submitting a monitoring report and a delayed explanation concerning a water sample resubmission resulted in SUEZ Delaware Operations receiving Notice of NonCompliance from the US EPA in May and June of 2015. There were no potential adverse health effects to the public. Public notification was made both on the company website and with a bill message to every customer. 3

keeping your water safe where does your water come from? SUEZ Delaware Operations supplies water from the White and Red Clay Creeks along with the Christina River. SUEZ Delaware Operations has a total treatment capacity of 36 million gallons.

about your water As state regulations require, we routinely test your drinking water. In 2015, SUEZ’ top priority continued to be our consistent efforts to meet or exceed all federal and local drinking water quality standards. SUEZ provides great value to our customers by delivering reliable and affordable drinking water for much lower cost than surrounding area water utilities. SUEZ is a leader in quality and value. Business efficiency is a core value at SUEZ. “We’ve been able to keep our rates lower as a result of effectively managing operating and maintenance expenses,” said Operations Manager Larry Finnicum, “It reflects the hard work and dedication to customer service, quality and value on the part of all our employees at SUEZ.” EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800.426.4791

water source and treatment Surface water is the source of supply for all our customers. In Delaware, SUEZ Delaware Operations customers receive most of their water from the Stanton Water Treatment Plant, which is capable of treating 30 million gallons of water per day. The Stanton Plant is a state-of-the-art facility that draws water from the White Clay and Red Clay creeks. SUEZ Delaware Operation’s Christiana Plant draws water from the Christina River and is rated at a capacity of producing 6 million gallons of water per day. Sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, is used for disinfection purposes at the Stanton and Christiana plants. SUEZ Delaware Operations provides water service in the northern New Castle County area.

water source conservation We encourage our customers to use water wisely — even when supplies are abundant. If you don’t conserve, you’re pouring water — and money — down the drain. The average American can drink, shower and flush between 40 and 130 gallons of water every day. You can reduce your water consumption by up to 25 percent by taking just a few simple steps. So tighten those taps; cease those sprinkles; discontinue those drips and use water wisely! To learn more about how you can conserve water and reduce your water bill visit our website at mysuezwater.com.

register for eBilling By choosing paperless eBilling you will help protect and preserve our natural resources. Your eBill will be sent directly to your email inbox. It has the added benefit of allowing you to pay the bill directly from your bank account free of charge. To register for eBilling visit mysuezwater.com or call the customer service number listed on your bill.

customer safety and employee identification You will recognize SUEZ employees by their photo identification badge they wear on their blue uniforms. The badge includes a color picture of the employee along with their name, and the date the card was issued. We encourage you to ask to check ID badges to verify that the person with whom you are dealing is an official employee of SUEZ. Always feel free to contact us at 302.633.5900 (Delaware) to confirm that we have sent an employee to your home or neighborhood. 4 | consumer confidence report

substances expected in drinking water 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 EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791. The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturallyoccurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. 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, agricultural 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 byproducts 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-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. 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. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. So what’s the bottom line? Both bottled and tap water meet the federal standards, however, your tap water is substantially less expensive.

Cryptosporidium Cryptosporidium is a microbial pathogen found in surface water throughout the U.S. Although filtration removes Cryptosporidium, the most commonly-used filtration methods cannot guarantee 100 percent removal. Our monitoring indicates the presence of these organisms in our source water. Current test methods do not allow us to determine if the organisms are dead or if they are capable of causing disease. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may cause cryptosporidiosis, an abdominal infection. Symptoms of infection include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Most healthy individuals can overcome the disease within a few weeks. However, immunocompromised people, infants and small children, and the elderly are at greater risk of developing life threatening illness. We encourage immuno-compromised individuals to consult their doctor regarding appropriate precautions to take to avoid infection. Cryptosporidium must be ingested to cause disease, and it may be spread through means other than drinking water.

important information Please pass this information along to those who speak Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Gujarti or Arabic: • Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

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• Este reporte contem informáções importantes sobre a sua água de beber. Traduza-o ou fale com alguém que o compreenda.

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drinking water quality The water quality table shows how the quality of your drinking water in 2015 compared to the standards set by the USEPA and the Delaware Office of Drinking Water (DE ODW). The state allows us to monitor for some contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Some of our data, though representative, are more than one year old. However, the most recent monitoring results are shown in the table below.

primary standards - directly related to the safety of drinking water. Highest Range of Turbidity MCLG MCL Result Results Violation Likely Source NA TT 1.60 0.01 - 1.60 No Soil Runoff Stanton Plant (NTU)1 NA TT 99.2 99.2 - 100 No Soil Runoff Stanton Plant (NTU)2 1 TT requires no single measurement greater than 1 NTU; highest measurement reported. In 2015, Stanton Plant distributed water with turbidity of > 1 NTU for approximately 55 minutes. The Delaware Office of Drinking Water and EPA was notified of this exceedance. No violation occurred. 2 TT requires at least 95% of monthly samples to be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU; lowest monthly percentage reported. Turbidity is a measure of the clarity or cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system. Highest Microbiological Contaminants MCLG MCL Result (%) Violation* Likely Source Total Coliforms 0 no more than 5% of monthly 2 No Naturally Occurring samples can be positive * Original routine sample tested positive for Total Coliform bacteria; All check samples during repeat monitoring tested negative for Total Coliform bacteria. Inorganic Chemicals MCLG MCL Barium ppm 2 2

Highest Result 0.05

Range of Results NA

Violation Likely Source No Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits Chromium ppb 100 100 1.9 NA No Erosion of natural deposits Fluoride ppm 0.8 - 1.2 2 1.3 0.22 - 1.3 No Water additive to promote strong teeth Nickel ppb 100 100 2.1 NA No Corrosion from bronze and brass plumbing fixtures Nitrate ppm 10 10 1.8 NA No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits *Information about Nitrate: Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask for advice from your health provider.

Action 90th Samples Lead and Copper (UWDE) MCLG Level Percentile Above AL Copper ppm (2014 Testing) 1.3 1.3 0.2 0 Lead ppb (2014 Testing) 0 15 4.0 0 See LEAD section in this report for more information on how to minimize your exposure to lead.

Violation No No

Likely Source Household Plumbing Household Plumbing

Minimum Lowest Level Range of Entry Point Disinfection Residuals Disinfectant Residual Detected Detections Violation Likely Source Chlorine ppm 0.3 0.1 0.1 - 2.3 No* Water additive used to control microbes *Minimum chlorine residuals < 0.3 ppm were detected at the entry point in 2015; however, the time period these chlorine residuals were < 0.3 ppm was less than 4 hours so no violation occurred. Distribution Disinfection Residuals MRDLG MRDL Chlorine ppm 4 4

Highest Result 1.7

Range of Results 1.3 - 1.7

Violation Likely Source No Water additive used to control microbes

Disinfection Byproducts MCLG MCL Total Trihalomethanes ppb NA 80 Haloacetic Acids ppb NA 60

Highest Level Detected 57 48

Range of Results 20 - 83 16 - 71

Violation No No

Number of Quarters out of Compliance 0

Violation Likely Source No Naturally present in the environment

% Removal % Removal Total Organic Carbon (TOC) MCL Required Achieved Total Organic Carbon (TOC) TT 25-45 31-52 Violatile Organic Compounds MCLG MCL

Highest Level Range of Detected Results

Styrene ppb

0.72

100

100

Highest Level Radioactive Contaminants MCLG MCL Detected Beta/photon emitters pCi/L 0 50* 13 Combined Radium 226/228 pCi/L 0 5 0.46 Gross alpha excluding radon and 0 15 1.3 uranium pCi/L *EPA considers 50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta/photon emitters.

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NA Range of Results 4.4 - 13 0.4 - 0.46 0.04 - 1.3

Violation

Likely Source By-product of drinking water chlorination By-product of drinking water disinfection

Likely Source

No Discharge from rubber and plastic factories; Leaching from landfills. Violation No No No

Likely Source Decay of natural and man-made deposits Erosion of natural deposits Erosion of natural deposits

definitions

NE: Not established.

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

NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit.

CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ppb Parts per billion: The equivalent of one second in 32 years. ppm Parts per million: The equivalent of one second in 12 days.

EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): 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 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. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectant to control microbial contamination. NA: Not applicable.

pCi/L Picocuries per liter: The equivalent of one second in 32 million years. Primary Standards: Federal drinking water regulations for substances that are health-related. Water suppliers must meet all primary drinking water standards. Secondary Standards: Federal drinking water measurements for substances that do not have an impact on health. These reflect aesthetic qualities such as taste, odor and appearance. Secondary standards are recommendations, not mandates. Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. SWDE: SUEZ Delaware Operations ODW: Office of Drinking Water This means “greater than.”

non-regulated and secondary substances Substance

MCL/ Guideline*

Average Result

Range of Results Likely Source

Alkalinity ppm NA 55 NA Erosion of natural deposits Bromochloroacetic acid ppb NA 5 3 - 7 Erosion of natural deposits Chloride ppm 250 66 NA Erosion of natural deposits Manganese ppb 50 0.8 NA Erosion of natural deposits pH units 6.5 - 8.5 7.3 NA Erosion of natural deposits Sodium ppm NA 40 NA Erosion of natural deposits Sulfate ppm 250 19 NA Erosion of natural deposits Copper ppm 1.3 0.005 NA Erosion of natural deposits Zinc ppm 5 0.02 NA Erosion of natural deposits * MCL compliance with Secondary Standards are per ODW is based on monitoring period average for each substance for SWDE Entry Points.

Interconnection Water-City of Wilmington SUEZ has the ability to supply water from an interconnection with the City of Wilmington Water Utility PWSID# DE0000663. During 2015 SUEZ supplied water to our customers using this interconnection on two days out of the year. For a copy of the City of Wilmington’s Water Quality Report go to: http://www.ccrwilmingtonde.com/2015_City_of_Wilmington_Water_Quality_Report.pdf

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SUEZ Delaware Operations 2000 First State Boulevard, P.O. Box 6508, Wilmington, DE 19804 Issued June 2015 mysuezwater.com

Business Hours 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday Telephone Number DE 302-633-5900

After Hours Emergencies DE 302-633-5900 Email & Website [email protected] mysuezwater.com

PWSID Delaware #0000564

THIS REPORT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER. Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua beber. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

In keeping with our commitment to the environment, this report was printed on paper containing at least 10% post consumer fiber.

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