The EPA requires that public water systems must deliver a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to their customers each year to provide information about their local drinking water quality. In this Assignment, we will choose the city of Lowell in Massachusetts, the resource provided below for the most recent CCR report.
You are required to do the following:
- Examine the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) prepared by the Lowell Regional Water Utility and answer these questions:
When reviewing the CCR, what is your overall impression about the Lowell’s drinking water quality in 2023?
Does the Lowell drinking water meet the requirements of the EPA’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR)?
Does the Lowell drinking water have any other contaminant(s) that are not listed in the EPA's NPDWR?
Where does the Lowell drinking water originate?
- Next, go to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) tap water database at https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ and locate the Lowell Regional Water Utility data. Find out how the EWG Health Guidelines differ from the EPA’s NPDWR for detected contaminants in Lowell’s drinking water?
- Finally, conclude briefly with your own thoughts on the significance of your above findings (if any) .
Resources for Assignment
Read: The Lowell Regional Water Utility. Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) 2023. Link to the website.
Link to Lowell 2023 CCR
Read: EPA. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR). Link to the website.
The entire NPDWR table: Link to PDF
Explore: Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database. Link to the website.
Full Answer Section
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Meeting EPA Standards: The CCR states that all detected contaminants were within the EPA's allowable limits. This suggests the water is safe for human consumption based on current regulations.
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Contaminants not on NPDWR list: The report doesn't mention any contaminants not listed in the EPA's NPDWR.
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Water Source: Lowell's drinking water originates from the Merrimack River. The report details the treatment process used to ensure water quality.
2. Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database
The EWG tap water database allows for a comparison between EPA's NPDWR and EWG's Health Guidelines for contaminants. These guidelines may be stricter than EPA regulations.
Further investigation using the EWG database is required to determine how the EWG Health Guidelines differ from the EPA's NPDWR for Lowell's drinking water specifically.
3. Conclusion
The 2023 CCR suggests that Lowell's drinking water meets current EPA standards for safe drinking water. However, a more comprehensive analysis requires comparing the detected contaminants with EWG's Health Guidelines, which might be more stringent.
It's important to note that EPA regulations are the minimum requirements, and some consumers might prefer to hold their drinking water to a higher standard. Additionally, the CCR only reports on detected contaminants, and there might be unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts.
Therefore, while the initial impression is positive, further examination using the EWG database and staying informed about updates to the CCR would be prudent for a more complete understanding of Lowell's drinking water quality.
Sample Answer
Analysis of Lowell's Drinking Water Quality in 2023
1. Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Analysis
Based on the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) by the Lowell Regional Water Utility, here's an analysis: