City of Pelican 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (PWSID 130122)

Spanish (Espanol)

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

Is my water safe?

We are pleased to present this year’s Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year’s water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies. 

Do I need to take special precautions?

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 healthcare providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).

Where does my water come from?

Your water comes from the Pelican Creek Watershed that feeds our river.

Source water assessment and its availability

A Source Water Assessment for our water source was completed in 2003. Vulnerability rankings are assigned based on the susceptibility of the drinking water source to potential contamination, recent sampling results, and the presence of potential contamination source—they do not necessarily indicate these contaminates will reach our source. The results of the assessment are: The Wellhead/Surface Intake Susceptibility: Very High The Aquifer Susceptibility: Not Applicable The overall vulnerability to potential contaminants is: Bacteria and Viruses: High Nitrates/Nitrites: High Volatile Organic Chemicals: Medium Inorganics/Heavy Metals: Medium Synthetic Organic Chemicals: Medium Other Organic Chemics: Medium For further information regarding this source water assessment please contact the local water system operator, or the Alaska Resources Library & Information Services (ARLIS) located at 3211 Providence Drive, Room 111, Anchorage, Alaska 99508; phone number 907-272-7547. Or you may call Chris Miller at the ADEC Drinking Water Protection Program at 907-269-4791, or 907-269-7549. You may also access the public source water executive summary data at the ADEC website: http://dec.alaska.gov/DWW/JSP/swaDisclaimer.html.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some containers. 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 (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (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 naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that 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 by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and 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 that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health. 

How can I get involved?

You can attend City Council meetings on the second Wednesday of each month. More information is available upon request at City Hall or by phone. Their number is 907-735-2202. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can contact Public Works / Water System Operator at 907-735-2245. Any questions or concerns can be directed to City Hall during the listed hours. 

Water Conservation Tips

Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference — try one today and soon it will become second nature. 

  • Take short showers — a 5-minute shower uses 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath.

  • Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair, and shaving and save up to 500 gallons a month.

  • Use a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.

  • Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.

  • Water plants only when necessary.

  • Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, then you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.

  • Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.

  • Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month’s water bill!

  • Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.

Cross Connection Control Survey

The purpose of this survey is to determine whether a cross-connection may exist at your home or business. A cross-connection is an unprotected or improper connection to a public water distribution system that may cause contamination or pollution to enter the system. We are responsible for enforcing cross-connection control regulations and ensuring that no contaminants can, under any flow conditions, enter the distribution system. If you have any of the devices listed below, please contact us so that we can discuss the issue, and if needed, survey your connection and assist you in isolating it if that is necessary. 

  • Boiler / Radiant Heater (Water heaters not included)

  • Underground Lawn Sprinkler System

  • Pool or Hot Tub (Whirlpool tubs not included)

  • Additional source(s) of water on the property

  • Decorative Pond

  • Watering Trough

Source Water Protection Tips

The protection of drinking water is everyone’s responsibility. You can help protect your community’s drinking water source in several ways:

  • Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides — they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.

  • Pick up after your pets.

  • If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.

  • Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.

  • Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community or visit the Watershed Information Network’s How to Start a Watershed Team.

Variance and Exemptions

The City of Pelican currently has a Synthetic Organic Chemical (SOC) waiver on file at the State of Alaska for the 2020 - 2022 monitoring period. During this time, the system is not required to monitor for SOC’s.

Monitoring and Reporting of Compliance Data Violations

Disinfection By-Products Monitoring Violations:

System missed VOC sampling in August of 2023, which incurred twenty-one monitoring violations.

Additional Information for Lead

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. Pelican is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water and 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Water Quality Data Table

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table, you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions in the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report Table. 

For More Information Please Contact:

Quintin Hafendorfer
P.O. Box 737
Pelican, Alaska 99832
907-735-2245