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Nsbu - Wainwright - Anchorage, AK

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Serves 585 people - Test data available: 2004-2009

This drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. It is part of EWG's national database that includes 47,667 drinking water utilities and 20 million test results. Water utilities nationwide detected more than 300 pollutants between 2004 and 2009. More than half of these chemicals are unregulated, legal in any amount. Despite this widespread contamination, the federal government invests few resources to protecting rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater from pollution in the first place. The information below summarizes test results for this utility and lists potential health concerns.

	This Drinking Water System	National Average
Exceed Health GuidelinesTests showing chemicals at concentrations above health guidelines established by federal and state health agencies. These guidelines are typically set at a levels that pose no significant health risk.	7 chemicals	4
Health Standard ExceedencesChemicals detected at concentrations above the legal limit, the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCLs) established by the U.S. EPA. Most MCLs are based on annual averages, so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance.	0 chemicals	0.5
Pollutants FoundThe total number of contaminants detected since 2004, according to data provided by the state water agency.	16 chemicals	8
Tests ConductedThe total number of number of water quality tests conducted by water utilities and recorded in data provided by the state water agency.	445 tests	420

Contaminants Exceeding Health Guidelines

Contaminant	Average/ Maximum Result	Health Limit Exceeded	Legal Limit Exceeded	Testing History -Tested      -Detected      -Over Health Guidelines      -Over Legal Limit*
BromodichloromethaneBromodichloromethane is a disinfection byproduct from the trihalomethane (THM) family, and is formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	1.12 ppb 2.7 ppb	Yes MCLGA non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.: 0 ppb	No 80 ppb
Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)Total haloacetic acids refers to the sum of the concentrations of five related disinfection byproducts in a water sample: dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monochloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.	7.74 ppb 26.4 ppb	Yes 0.7 ppb	No 60 ppb
Dichloroacetic acidDichloroacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	4.78 ppb 18.3 ppb	Yes MCLGA non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.: 0 ppb	No 60 ppb
ChloroformChloroform is a disinfection byproduct from the trihalomethane (THM) family, and is formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	8.36 ppb 24.9 ppb	Yes 5.7 ppb	No 80 ppb
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)Total trihalomethanes constitute the sum of four disinfection byproducts: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform.	8.14 ppb 26.8 ppb	Yes 9.8 ppb	No 80 ppb
DibromochloromethaneDibromochloromethane is a disinfection byproduct from the trihalomethane (THM) family, and is formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	0.21 ppb 1.47 ppb	Yes 0.4 ppb	No 80 ppb
BromoformBromoform is a disinfection byproduct from the trihalomethane (THM) family, and is formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	0.01 ppb 0.2 ppb	Yes MCLGA non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.: 0 ppb	No 80 ppb
NOTE: Each dot in the above graph represents one month. * Water utilities are noted as exceeding the legal limit if any test is above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Most MCLs are based on annual averages so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance.

Other Detected Contaminants

Contaminant	Average/ Maximum Result	Health Limit Exceeded	Legal Limit Exceeded	Testing History -Tested      -Detected      -Over Health Guidelines      -Over Legal Limit*
Trichloroacetic acidTrichloroacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	0.32 ppb 1.63 ppb	No 20 ppb	No 60 ppb
Monochloroacetic acidMonochloroacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	1.54 ppb 11.5 ppb	No 70 ppb	No 60 ppb
Xylenes (total)Xylenes are a group of chemicals produced from petroleum and released as pollutants from chemical, plastics and synthetic fiber industries as well as printing, painting, and laboratory uses.	2.58 ppb 9.14 ppb	No 1800 ppb	No 10000 ppb
Monobromoacetic acidMonobromoacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	0.12 ppb 2.07 ppb	No	No 60 ppb
Dibromoacetic acidDibromoacetic acid is a disinfection byproduct regulated by EPA as one of five haloacetic acids that are formed when chlorine, chloramines or other disinfectants react with organic and inorganic matter in water.	0.07 ppb 1.22 ppb	No	No 60 ppb
TolueneToluene is a pollutant from petroleum refineries and a chemical used in plastics manufacturing as well as the pharmaceutical, paint and furniture industries.	0.1 ppb 0.52 ppb	No 150 ppb	No 1000 ppb
EthylbenzeneEthylbenzene is a pollutant from petroleum refineries and industrial chemical factories; it is also used to make plastics, and may be present as an impurity in some insecticides.	0.48 ppb 2.38 ppb	No 300 ppb	No 700 ppb
ChloromethaneChloromethane is a naturally occuring chemical that forms during combustion of plant material; it may be released from the manufacture of silicone, rubber and pesticides, and also forms as a byproduct of water disinfection.	4.82 ppb 4.82 ppb	No 30 ppb	Legal at any levelThis is the Federal Limit. State Limits may be lower.
m- & p- XyleneXylene is a petroleum-derived solvent used in the printing, rubber, and leather industries, and as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and an ingredient in paints and varnishes.	1 ppb 1 ppb	No 10000 ppb	No 10000 ppb
NOTE: Each dot in the above graph represents one month. * Water utilities are noted as exceeding the legal limit if any test is above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Most MCLs are based on annual averages so exceeding the MCL for one test does not necessarily indicate that the system is out of compliance.

Contaminants Not Detected - 57 chemicals

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, Arsenic (total), Benzene, Bromobenzene, Bromochloroacetic acid, Bromochloromethane, Bromomethane, Carbon tetrachloride, Chloroethane, cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, Combined Uranium (mg/L), Dibromomethane, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Ethylene dibromide (EDB), Hexachlorobutadiene, Isopropylbenzene, m-Dichlorobenzene, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), Mtbe, n-Butylbenzene, n-Propylbenzene, Naphthalene, Nitrate, o-Chlorotoluene, o-Dichlorobenzene, o-Xylene, p-Chlorotoluene, p-Dichlorobenzene, p-Isopropyltoluene, Radium-228, sec-Butylbenzene, Styrene, tert-Butylbenzene, Tetrachloroethylene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, Trichloroethylene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Trichlorotrifluoroethane, Vinyl chloride

Pollution Summary

16	Total Contaminants Detected (2004 - 2009) Chloromethane, Monochloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Monobromoacetic acid, Dibromoacetic acid, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Chloroform, Bromoform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Xylenes (total), Toluene, Ethylbenzene, m- & p- Xylene
1	Agricultural Pollutants (pesticides, fertilizer, factory farms) Ethylbenzene
2	Sprawl and Urban Pollutants (road runoff, lawn pesticides, human waste) Xylenes (total), m- & p- Xylene
5	Industrial Pollutants Chloromethane, Xylenes (total), Toluene, Ethylbenzene, m- & p- Xylene
12	Water Treatment and Distribution Byproducts (pipes and fixtures, treatment chemicals and byproducts) Chloromethane, Monochloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Monobromoacetic acid, Dibromoacetic acid, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Chloroform, Bromoform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
1	Naturally Occurring (naturally present but increased for lands denuded by sprawl, agriculture, or industrial development) Chloromethane
1	Unregulated Contaminants EPA has not established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for these contaminants Chloromethane

EPA Violation Summary

Violation Category	Number of Violations
(click see violations)close	1
Violation	Date of Violation

Reporting
(click see violations)close1

Violation	Date of Violation
Failure to report information to the public or state agency in the Consumer Confidence Report	2007/07/01 - 2025/12/31

Monitoring
(click see violations)close40

Violation	Date of Violation
Follow-up and Routine Tap Sampling	2004/01/01 - 2025/12/31
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2004/04/01 - 2004/04/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/04/01 - 2004/04/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/05/01 - 2004/05/31
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/07/01 - 2004/07/31
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/08/01 - 2004/08/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2004/07/01 - 2004/09/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2004/01/01 - 2004/03/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2004/04/01 - 2004/06/30
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2004/09/01 - 2004/09/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/09/01 - 2004/09/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2004/01/01 - 2004/03/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2004/04/01 - 2004/06/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2004/07/01 - 2004/09/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2004/01/01 - 2004/03/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2004/04/01 - 2004/06/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2004/07/01 - 2004/09/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2004/01/01 - 2004/01/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2005/04/01 - 2005/06/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2005/07/01 - 2005/09/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2005/08/01 - 2005/08/31
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2005/04/01 - 2005/04/30
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2006/02/01 - 2006/02/28
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2006/01/01 - 2006/03/31
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2006/02/01 - 2006/02/28
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2006/01/01 - 2006/03/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2006/01/01 - 2006/03/31
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2006/07/01 - 2006/07/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2006/07/01 - 2006/09/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2006/07/01 - 2006/07/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2006/07/01 - 2006/09/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)	2006/10/01 - 2006/12/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2006/07/01 - 2006/09/30
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)	2006/10/01 - 2006/12/31
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2008/08/01 - 2008/08/31
Monitoring and Reporting Disinfection Byproduct Rule Chlorine	2008/07/01 - 2008/09/30
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2008/08/01 - 2008/08/31
Failure to monitor, Routine Major (Coliform bacteria)	2008/12/01 - 2008/12/31
Failure to monitor or report, Routine/Repeat (Indicators of microbial or virus contamination)	2008/12/01 - 2008/12/31
Failure to monitor regularly Nitrate	2008/01/01 - 2008/12/31

Information on violations is drawn directly from EPA's national violations database in the Agency's Safe Drinking Water Information System. Analyses by others have raised questions about the quality of the information in EPA's database. For the purposes of this investigation, EWG is not showing below or including in our analyses, those violations for individual water suppliers that occurred on days for which the total number of violations assigned by EPA to that water supplier was greater than 20. This criteria was based on common characteristics of incorrect violations data as identified by water utilities, from a review of EPA's violations data by several hundred utilities prior to the release of EWG's investigation.