2024 Drinking Water Quality Report

Overview

The Bellwood Borough Authority (BBA) has released its 2024 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 Borough.

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 treated with ozone to destroy bacteria (such as Giardia and Cryptosporidia) and reduce organic materials. It is then filtered through sand to remove sediment, treated with a corrosion inhibitor to protect pipes, and finally disinfected with chlorine.
• Interconnection: The BBA system is inter-connected with the AWA system, allowing for emergency water supply from other AWA sources if necessary.

Contaminant Monitoring Results

The report details the results of monitoring conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

Detected Regulated Contaminants

• Turbidity: Measured at 0. 15 NTU (highest level detected).
• Chlorine: Used as a disinfectant; levels ranged from 0. 58 to 1. 34 ppm.
• Disinfection Byproducts:
  • Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM): Detected at 34. 4 ppb.
  • Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): Detected at 10. 5 ppb.
• Inorganic Contaminants:
  • Barium: Detected at 0. 041 ppm.
  • Bromate: Detected at 1. 18 ppb (highest RAA).
  • Copper: Detected at 0. 032 ppm (90th Percentile).
  • Lead: Detected at 1. 55 ppb (90th Percentile).

Volatile Organic Contaminants

• Ethylbenzene: Detected in 2023 (1. 9 ppb) and 2021 (11. 2 ppb).
• Xylenes (Total): Detected in 2023 (0. 0101 ppm) and 2021 (0. 0911 ppm).

Unregulated Contaminants (UCMR4)

• Manganese: Detected at 204 ppb.
• HAA5, HAA6Br, HAA9: Detected at levels ranging from 5. 71 to 43. 8 ppb.
• TOC (Total Organic Carbon): Detected at 2320 ppb.

Health Advisory

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

• Immuno-compromised persons (e. g. , those undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS).
• The elderly.
• Infants.

These individuals should seek advice from their health care providers regarding potential risks from infections like Cryptosporidium.

Contact Information

• Authority: Bellwood Borough Authority
• Address: 516 Main Street, Bellwood, PA 16617
• Phone: (814) 742-8591
• Email: rcaswell@bellwoodborough. com
• Public Meetings: Held on the third Monday of each month at 6 PM in the Bellwood Borough Municipal Building.