2021 Drinking Water Quality Report

Overview

The Bellwood Borough Authority (BBA) has released its 2021 Drinking Water Quality Report. The report confirms that the water supply meets all federal and state health standards. The BBA purchases treated water from the Altoona Water Authority (AWA) and distributes it to customers in Bellwood.

Water Source and Treatment

• Source: The primary source is the Bellwood Reservoir, located at the base of Blandburg Mountain in Antis Township.
• Treatment Process: Raw water is drawn from the reservoir and treated at the AWA Bellwood Filtration Plant. The process includes:
  • Ozone: Used to destroy bacteria (such as Giardia and Cryptosporidia) and reduce organic materials.
  • Sand Filters: Used to remove sediment and particles.
  • Corrosion Inhibitor: Added to prevent the water from reacting with pipes and plumbing.
  • Chlorine: Applied for disinfection during distribution.
• Interconnections: The BBA system is connected to the AWA system, allowing for alternative water sources during emergencies or droughts.

Contaminant Monitoring

The report details the results of monitoring conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2021.

Detected Regulated Contaminants

• Turbidity: The highest level detected was 0. 15 NTU (Limit: 0. 3).
• Chlorine: Levels ranged from 0. 38 to 2. 11 ppm.
• Disinfection Byproducts:
  • Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM): Highest level 31. 7 ppb (Limit: 80).
  • Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): Highest level 2. 09 ppb (Limit: 60).
• Inorganics:
  • Barium: Highest level 0. 0417 ppm (Limit: 2. 0).
  • Bromate: Highest level 1. 14 ppb (Limit: 10).
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Ethylbenzene and Xylenes were detected in the 3rd Quarter of 2021 but remained within safe limits.

Lead and Copper

• Lead: The 90th percentile value was 0. 78 ppb (Action Level: 15). No sites were above the action level.
• Copper: The 90th percentile value was 0. 072 ppm (Action Level: 1. 3). No sites were above the action level.
• Source: Corrosion of household plumbing is identified as the likely source for these metals.

Unregulated Contaminants

The report lists monitoring data for Manganese, HAA5, HAA6Br, HAA9, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) from 2020.

Health Advisory

Certain groups may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. These include:

• Immuno-compromised persons (e. g. , cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS).
• Some elderly individuals.
• Infants.

These groups should seek advice from their health care providers regarding drinking water. The EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing infection risk from Cryptosporidium are available via the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

Contact Information

For questions or to attend regularly scheduled meetings (held the third Monday of each month at 6 PM):

• Contact Person: Mr. Rick Caswell
• Address: Bellwood Borough Authority, 516 Main Street, Bellwood PA 16617
• Phone: (814) 742-8591
• Email: rcaswell@bellwoodborough. com
• Hours: Weekdays from 8 AM to 4 PM