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HCWA Water Meets or Exceeds Industry Standards

During a year highlighted by extreme drought, 2016 provided a unique challenge for the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) to meet customer demand amidst some of the driest conditions on record, without jeopardizing water quality.

HCWA officials say the utility could do so because of long-term planning and investments in the water production and distribution system, which is operated by some of the most accomplished water professionals in the industry. The empirical evidence of HCWA water quality can be found in the 2017 Henry County Water Quality Report, which is available on the HCWA website at http://waterqualityreport.hcwa.com/report.pdf. Hard copies also are available upon request at the HCWA Headquarters, located at 1695 Highway 20 West in McDonough. Customers also can request to receive a copy via mail by calling 770-957-6659.

The laboratory evidence of HCWA drinking water quality, reviewed and authenticated by the state Environmental Protection Division (EPD), is provided in this year’s Henry County Water Quality Report, which informs customers of what is in their drinking water and why. In the case of the 2017 Report, HCWA drinking water again met or exceeded all industry safeguards for water quality, reflected in water samples and laboratory tests conducted from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2016.

The lab data analyzed during this past calendar year for inclusion in the 2017 Henry County Water Quality Report include measures of regulated substances found in HCWA tap water. These lab results provide consumers with the assurance that the detected amounts of potential contaminants are well within the limits allowed by Georgia EPD, in accordance with federal guidelines of the Safe Drinking Water Act enforced by the U.S. EPA.

During 2016, the HCWA experienced no violations of regulatory limits on potential contaminants – whether organic, inorganic, or microbiological, or as the result of disinfectants or disinfectant by-products used in the drinking water treatment process.

The goal of the Henry County Water Quality Report is to provide customers with the most current data reflecting the quality of their drinking water. The Report also outlines the treatment technologies and processes used to assure HCWA tap water safety.

In addition to the Water Quality Data featured in the 2017 Henry County Water Quality Report, the HCWA also provides an overview of its system, including the five drinking water reservoirs owned and operated by the Authority, with 18 billion gallons of raw water. That reservoir storage is equivalent to an estimated 500 days of supply. The HCWA also has two water treatment plants with a combined production capacity of more than 40 million gallons per day (MGD), 14 storage tanks with 29 million gallons of finished drinking water storage, and approximately 1,400 miles of transmission mains within its distribution system.

“There is no objective more important to us as an Authority than providing clean, safe drinking water for our customers and for the community,” says Lindy Farmer, HCWA General Manager. “The results of our Water Quality Report reflect the outstanding job our employees are doing as water professionals every day, in addition to the return on our investments to create and maintain a model water utility in the state and nation.”

Water Quality Reports became a regulatory requirement of public water utilities following the 1996 Amendments by Congress to the Safe Drinking Water Act, to increase the public’s “right to know” about the nature of their drinking water.

Media contact:            

Chris Wood, Ph.D.

Phone: 770-757-1681

Email: chris@jwapr.com