Kentucky drinking water report shows health-based violations continue to remain low

Violations increased slightly to 50 from 48

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 17, 2013) – The annual compliance report on public water systems, prepared by the Kentucky Division of Water, indicates health-based violations held steady in 2013, increasing only slightly from 48 to 50 violations. Health-based violations account for less than 5 percent of the drinking water violations processed in 2013.

The report, required by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, lists Kentucky’s 450 public water systems and any violations imposed in the previous calendar year.

“The majority of violations at Kentucky’s public water systems last year involved administrative infractions rather than problems with water treatment,” said Julie Roney, coordinator of the division’s Drinking Water Program.

Kentucky’s public water supply systems test on a regular basis for bacteria, nitrates and other inorganic chemicals, radiological elements and more than 100 industrial chemicals and pesticides. The Division of Water monitors the results; a water system that exceeds the standards for a contaminant is required to take corrective action and notify its customers. As a result, contaminant noncompliance is generally a short-term situation.

“Once a violation is issued, treatment is usually adjusted very quickly and most supplies soon return to the required ranges,” said Roney. “We do, however, take seriously the requirement of public water systems to submit timely and accurate monitoring reports. This emphasis is reflected in the number of administrative violations issued by the division in 2013.”

The 2013 compliance report may be viewed in summary and detailed formats at: http://water.ky.gov/DrinkingWater/Pages/AnnualComplianceReports.aspx. The summary report also includes violation information arranged by contaminant.