FORT KENT WATER DEPARTMENT
416 West Main Street
Fort Kent, Maine 04743
Phone: 834-3003 Fax: 834-3126
E-Mail- watersewer@fortkent.org
Website: http://www.fortkent.org/
2014
Consumer Confidence Report
For the Fort Kent Water Department System
Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
(Created 6/1/15)
We’re very pleased to provide you with this year's Annual Quality Water Report. We want to keep you informed about the
excellent water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our goal is and always has been, to provide to you a
safe and dependable supply of drinking water.
SOURCE WATER INFORMATION
Our water source is derived via two wells located east of the Fort Kent business district. Well #1 was drilled in 1960 and has a
depth of sixty-two feet. Well #2 was drilled in 1979 and is sixty-five feet deep. Both are made of metal casing and gravel
constitutes most of the surrounding soil.
These two wells serve a population of more than eighteen hundred people and have pumped an average of 242,790 gallons per
day in 2014. Chemicals that were used consisted of Sodium Hypochlorite for disinfection, Sodium Fluoride that promotes strong
teeth, and aeration for a higher pH and Radon removal.
WATER QUALITY
The Maine Drinking Water Program, in cooperation with local public water suppliers (PWS), has conducted a statewide
assessment of the risks to public water supply wells and intakes from human activities. All wells were rated on the current and
future risk for contamination by both acute contaminants, like bacteria, and chronic contaminants, like petroleum hydrocarbons.
The Fort Kent Water Department assessment is as follows, Existing Risk of Contamination Based on Well Type and Site
Geology: Moderate Risk. Existing Risk of Acute Contamination: Low Risk. . Existing Risk of Chronic Contamination: Moderate
Risk. Future Risk of Chronic Contamination: Moderate Risk. For more information on the Source Water Assessment Program,
please call the Water Department or the Drinking Water Program at 287-2070.
A Wellhead Protection Plan was established in June 1995. A copy of this plan is available upon request.
This report shows our water quality and what it means.
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Mark Soucy, Fort Kent Water
Department Head, Tel: 834-3003 or 3463. We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to
learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings held on the Second and Fourth Monday of every month.
The Fort Kent Water Department routinely monitors for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws.
This table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. As water travels over the
land or underground, it can pick up substances or contaminants such as microbes, inorganic and organic chemicals, and
radioactive substances. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may be reasonably expected to contain at least
small amounts of some constituents. It's important to remember that the presence of these constituents does not necessarily pose
a health risk.
Definitions:
Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) - one part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single
penny in $10,000.
Running Annual Average ( RAA ) - The average of all monthly or quarterly samples for the last year at all sample locations.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single
penny in $10,000,000.
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.
Action Level (AL) - the concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements, which a
water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT) - A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in
drinking water.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The MCL is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - The MCLG is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there
is no known or expected risk to health.
The following contaminants were tested for:
Microbiological Contaminants
1. Total Coliform Bacteria
2. Fecal coliform and E.coli
43. Heptachlor
3. Turbidity
44. Heptachlor epoxide
Radioactive Contaminants
45. Hexachlorobenzene
4. Beta/photon emitters
46. Hexachlorocyclo-pentadiene
5. Alpha emitters
47. Lindane
6. Combined radium
48. Methoxychlor
Uranium
49. Oxamyl [Vydate]
Radon
50. PCBs [Polychlorinated phenyls]
Inorganic Contaminants
7. Antimony
51. Pentachlorophenol
8. Arsenic
52. Picloram
9. Asbestos
53. Simazine
10. Barium
54. Toxaphene
11. Beryllium
Volatile Organic Contaminant
12. Cadmium
55. Benzene
13. Chromium
56. Carbon tetrachloride
14. Copper
57. Chlorobenzene
15. Cyanide
58. o-Dichlorobenzen
16. Fluoride
59. p-Dichlorobenzen
17. Lead
60. 1,2 - Dichloroethane
18. Mercury (inorganic)
61. 1,1 - Dichloroethyle
19. Nitrate (as Nitrogen)
62. cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
20. Nitrite (as Nitrogen)
63. trans - 1,2 Dichloroethylene
21. Selenium
22. Thallium
64. Dichloromethane
Synthetic Organic Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides
23. 2,4-D
24. 2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
25. Acrylamide
26. Alachlor
27. Atrazine
28. Benzo(a)pyrene (PAH)
29. Carbofuran
30. Chlordane
31. Dalapon
32. Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate
33. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
34. Dibromochloropropane
35. Dinoseb
36. Diquat
37. Dioxin [2,3,7,8-TCDD]
38. Endothall
39. Endrin
40. Epichlorohydrin
41. Ethylene dibromide
42. Glyphosate
65. 1,2-Dichloropropane
66. Ethylbenzene
66a. Methyl-Tertiary-Butyl-Ether (MTBE) (Maine MCL)
67. Styrene
68. Tetrachloroethylene
69. 1,2,4 -Trichlorobenzene
70. 1,1,1 - Trichloroethane
71. 1,1,2 -Trichloroethane
72. Trichloroethylene
73. TTHM [Total trihalomethanes]
74. Toluene
75. Vinyl Chloride
76. Xylenes
The following contaminants were tested for:
WATER TEST RESULTS
Contaminant
Date
Results
Unit
Measurement
MCL
MCLG
Source
INORGANICS
Barium
4/16/14
.0045
Copper 90th % (8)
0.40
01/01/14
12/31/16
Fluoride (3)
11/12/14
Lead 90th % (8)
01/01/14
12/31/16
Nitrate (as
Nitrogen)
4/16/14
Radionuclides
Radium-228
11/14/1
2
Microbiological
Total Coliform
2014
Disinfection
Chlorine Residual
Disinfection
Byproducts
Trihalomethans
(TTHM) (9)
RAA
(2013)
2 ppm
2 ppm
AL= 1.3
ppm
1.3 ppm
4 ppm
4 ppm
AL = 15
ppb
0 ppb
10 ppm
10 ppm
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from
septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural
deposits
Erosion of natural deposits.
ppm
ppm
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge
from metal refineries; erosion of natural
deposits.
Corrosion of household plumbing systems.
th
90 % Value
0.70
Highest level
found.
2.6
90th% Value
ppm
ppb
1.10
ppm
0.03
PCi/l
5 pCi/l
0 pCi/l
pos
1
pos/mo
or 5%
0 pos
MRDL
4ppm
MRDLG
4ppm
0
RAA ( 0.25)
Range
(0.08 – 0.45)
ppm
Erosion of natural deposits; water additive
which promotes strong teeth; discharge
from fertilizer and aluminum factories
Corrosion of household plumbing systems.
Naturally present in the environment.
By-product of drinking water chlorination.
By-product of drinking water chlorination.
RAA
(2010)
7.5
ppb
80 ppb
0 ppb
NOTES:
1) Total Coliform Bacteria: Reported as the highest monthly number of positive samples, for water systems that take < 40 samples per
month.
2) Arsenic: The U.S. EPA adopted the new MCL standard of 10 ppb in October 2001.
3) Fluoride: Fluoride levels must be maintained between 1-2 ppm, for those water systems that fluoridate the water.
4) Nitrate: Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. 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 care provider.
5) Radon: The State of Maine currently recommends treatment for Radon levels in drinking water above 4,000 pCi/L. The U.S. EPA is
considering setting lower standards for Radon in drinking water.
6) Gross Alpha: Action Level over 5 pCi/L requires testing for Radium. Action level over 15pCi/L requires testing for Radon and
Uranium.
7) Uranium: The U.S. EPA adopted the new standard of 30 ppb, in December 2000. Water systems must meet this new standard by
December 2003.
8) Lead /Copper: Action levels are measured at consumer’s tap. 90% of the tests must be equal to or below the action level.
9) TTHM/HAA5: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) are formed as a by-product of drinking water
chlorination. This chemical reaction occurs when chlorine combines with naturally occurring organic matter in water.
All other regulated drinking water contaminants were below detection levels.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by substances that are naturally occurring or
man-made. These substances can be microbes, inorganic or organic chemicals and radioactive substances. 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. More
information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection
Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
MCL’s 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 onein-a-million chance of having the described health effect.
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. Fort Kent Water 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminates in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised 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 microbiological contaminates are
available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
YOUR WATER SYSTEM
2014 PUMPING
The Water Department pumped 88,675,757 gallons of water in 2014. In 2013 we pumped 79,457,050 gallons. This
is an increase of 9,218,707 gallons. Since 1976 the maximum pumped was 258,500,000 gallons, this was in 1976,
and the minimum pumped was 69,674,540 in 2011.
Our total from 1976 to 2014 is about 4.787 Billion gallons. This is approximately one sixteenth the volume of Eagle
Lake.
2014 WATER PROJECTS
The Fort Kent Water Department will be doing three water service replacements on Market Street in advance of the
Maine State DOT repaving project on this street. The contractor selected was JBBC Inc. We expect this project to
start in early June and finish by the end of June 2014.
The Pine Street water line is completed and is working well for all new customers.
EMPLOYEE CORNER
We currently have four full time employees. Greg Bernier, has been with the Department for 19 years, holds a Class
IV Water Treatment license and a Class IV Water Distribution license.
Ricky Berube, has been with the Department 15 years, holds a Class II Water Treatment license and a Class II Water
Distribution license.
Bruce Fournier, has been with the Department 3 years.
Mark Soucy, has been with the Department 17 years, and holds a Class IV Water Treatment license and a Class IV
Water Distribution license.