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Traditionally, Drinking Water Week is an opportunity to remind people about the importance of safe drinking water. But after our

experience with Hurricane Floyd, no community has a greater appreciation for the importance of this precious natural resource than we do!

In September, rapidly rising floodwaters encircled GUC's Water Treatment Plant and challenged our ability to produce an adequate supply of

safe drinking water. For 10 long days our water customers were under a precautionary boil water notice. Naturally, after an experience like

that, our customers had, and may still have, questions about the long-term effects on their drinking water supply. Here are some of the

frequently-asked questions that we've received along with answers that we hope will address any lingering concerns.

Is our drinking water safe?

A @ Yes. Water treated at our

treatment plant meets the strict standards
set by the U.S. Environmental- Protection
Agency (EPA) and the N.C. Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
(NCDENR). We perform over 100,000
tests annually on samples collected at
different phases of the treatment process.
Samples are collected both at the plant
and at hundreds of sites throughout our
distribution system. We go above and
beyond by sampling more frequently than
regulations require.

We test for bacteriological, inorganic and

radioactive contaminants; heavy metals;

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and
Synthetic Organic Compounds (SOCs).
Analyses of the tests-conducted in our
laboratory and in commercial laboratories
indicate that water treated by GUC meets
all federal and state regulations.

® What about the pesticides,
fuels and dead animals that were in
the floodwaters. How can our drink-
ing water be safe after that?

A @ It is true that because of the

flood, our raw water source, the Tar River,
may have had contaminants that are not
usually there. But, also because of the
flood, those contaminants were substan-
tially diluted. As a result, the concentration
levels did not pose a problem for the
treatment process and all tests indicate
that we removed any harmful contami-
nants successfully.

When floodwaters receded enough to
allow travel, Federal EPA and State

- Department of Environment and Natural

Resources representatives came to the
Water Treatment Plant to provide technical

assistance and review plant operating data.

All of these officialsagreed that after the

oboil water notice was lifted on.

What other kinds of problems
did GUC Ts water system face during the
flood?

A @ we pump water from the Tar River

to the treatment plant, and at one point
power had to be shut off to those submerged
pumps to protect them from long-term
damage. For a time we had to rely on the

40 million gallons of raw water stored in our
reservoir. (That Ts only a two-day supply.) We
faced the ironic situation of not having
enough water to treat " in the middle of a

. flood! In addition, we had water main breaks
throughout the distribution system. Repairing
breaks that were submerged in floodwaters
posed a challenge for our crews. So at times
more water was being oconsumed ? than our
handicapped plant could produce. That was
the reason many customers lost water pres-

_ sure fora brief period, which reduced their
water to a trickle when they turned on their
taps. So, not only did we have difficulty
getting water to the plant, we also had diffi-
culty keeping up with the increased demand
because of the main breaks.

, e Several days, even weeks, after
the floodwaters receded, my water was
discolored. It was a yellowish-brown color.

Can you explain?

A ¢ The discoloration was caused by

high levels of Manganese, an element that occurs
naturally in river water and is even in vitamins.
High levels of Manganese do not pose a health
risk, but it can cause aesthetic problems. It was a
challenge to find the right balance of treatment

to correct one problem, without creating another. "

The EPA has two types of standards: primary
(substances that pose a health risk) and secondary
(substances that cause aesthetic problems),
Manganese falls under the secondary standard.

Did GUC's Water Treatment
Plant ever shut down during the

flood?

A. No. Our treatment plant never

shut down and it never stopped treating
water. Our employees put forth a heroic
effort to keep the plant operating. They
worked long hours in extremely difficult
conditions. They were determined to keep

' the plant operating. If we had shut down,

it would have been several weeks before
the plant could have been operational
again. Systems that go odry ? must undergo
an extensive series of tests and inspections
before they are allowed to resume normal
Operations.

e if | still have concerns about
the quality and safety of my drinking
water, how can I have it tested?

A @ Please contact us at the Water

Treatment Plant 551-1562 and we will be
happy to collect a sample from your home.
We will conduct bacteriological tests in our
lab. If you would like additional tests
conducted for VOCs, SOCs, heavy metals,
etc., we can assist you in obtaining these
analyses.

You may also obtain information on water
quality issues from the following resources:

EPA Hotline
1-800-426-4791
WWW.epa,gov

NC Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR)
919-733-2321
www.ehnr.state.nc.us/EHNR/

M Otiities

x 752-7166 ° "www.guc,com

Greenville "