Where
Do We Get Our Drinking Water?
Bastrop drinking water comes exclusively from a ground water source known as an ALLUVIAL AQUIFER. A Source Water Susceptibility Assessment for your drinking water source is currently being updated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and will be provided to us this year. The report will describe the susceptibility and types of constituents that may come into contact with your drinking water source based on human activities and natural conditions. The information contained in the assessment will allow us to focus our source water protection strategies. For more information on source water assessments and protection efforts at our system, please contact us.
Water
Sources:
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include
rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water
travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves
naturally-occurring minerals, and in some cases, radioactive material,
and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or
from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water
before treatment include: microbes, inorganic contaminants, pesticides,
herbicides, radioactive contaminants, and organic chemical contaminants.
ALL
Drinking Water May Contain Contaminants
When drinking water meets
federal standards there may not be any health based benefits to purchasing
bottled water or point of use devices. Drinking water, including bottled
water may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of
some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily
indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants
and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s
Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
Special
Notice for the Elderly, Infants, Cancer Patients, people with HIV/AIDS
or other immune problems:
Some people
may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general
population.
Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer, undergoing chemotherapy,
persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or
other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly
at risk from infections.
These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health
care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium
and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791)
