Contact: Kathy Allen, Greater Cincinnati Water Works @ 513-591-7972
Cincinnati drinking water meets or exceeds state and national health standards, according to Greater Cincinnati Water Works Safe Drinking Water Report 2003. Customers will receive this report with water bills from April through June. This annual report was prepared to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for Consumer Confidence Reports.
Here are some highlights from the report.
How Cincinnati water compares to national standards. The Ohio EPA reviews GCWW compliance testing results regularly. Cincinnati water met or exceeded all state and federal health standards in 2003, as it has for many years.
How Cincinnati water is treated. The granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment process at our Miller Plant on the Ohio River is considered the best way to remove organic materials from drinking water. This state-of-the-art treatment produces high quality drinking water that needs about two-thirds less chlorine than water treated without GAC.
Where Cincinnati water comes from. The most popular part of the report is a map that shows customers where their water comes from. Most GCWW customers (88 per cent) get their water from the Ohio River; 11 per cent get water from the Great Miami Aquifer; and customers in the North Mason Service area (about 1%) get water from the Shaker Creek Aquifer. In March, 2003, GCWW began selling drinking water from the Ohio River to Boone County and the City of Florence, Kentucky. Wholesale customers purchase water from GCWW but maintain their own distribution, metering and billing systems.
GCWW is vigilant in protecting the water supply. GCWW tests the water more than 300 times a day to ensure the safety of the water. A summary of results of these tests required by USEPA is provided in the report.
The USEPA requires every water utility to provide information on source water and water quality. Other water utilities will also send these reports to customers in the next few months. Cincinnati’s report can be read online at www.cincinnati-oh.gov/gcww or multiple copies can be requested by calling 513-591-7972.
