If you are moving to the Southern Chester County or Western Delaware County regions and receive public water, chances are you are being serviced this water from the CWA, Chester Water Authority. Every year they test their water and release the results to all the municipalities receiving water from them. So lets take a look at the results from 2023:
Turbidity- This measures the clarity or cloudiness of the water. This is monitored because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the filtration system used.
Individual test with 1 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unity) had a level of .24
Yearly report shows that 95% of all monthly tests conducted for Turbidity were at .3 or lower which is the level determined as acceptable. Not a violation. Soil runoff is the cause.
Lead (2022) Highest Allowable Level 15ppb (parts per Billion)
Yearly report shows that 5 samples have come back this year at or higher than the allowable level. This is not a violation. This is due to corrosion of household plumbing. *
Copper Highest Allowable Level 1.3ppm (parts per million)
Yearly report shows that no samples have come back at or higher that the allowable level. Not a Violation. Due to household plumbing.
Barium Highest Allowable level 2ppm
The final test indicated a level of 0.03 which was steady for the year. This is due to erosion of natural deposits
Floride Highest Allowable Level 2ppm
The final test indicated a level of 0.9 which fluctuated between 0.4 and 0.9 throughout the year. This is not a violation. The targeted level is 0.7. This is added to water to promote strong teeth according to CWA.
Nitrate Highest Allowable Level is 10ppm
The final test indicated a level of 9 which fluctuated between 1 and 9 throughout the year. This is not a violation. This is caused by contamination from fertilizer use.
Chloramine Minimum Necessary Level 0.20 ppm
Lowest level detected 0.7 with a range of 0.7-3.3 throughout the year. Not a violation. This is added to water to control microbes.
This also has a goal of 4 ppm which has not been reached.
Total Trihalomethanes Allowable level 80 ppb
The final test indicated a level of 49 which fluctuated between 29 and 77 throughout the year. This is not a violation. This is a by product caused by water chlorination.
Haloacetic Acids Allowable Level 60 ppb
The final test indicated a level of 37 which fluctuated between 18 and 77 throughout the year. This is not a violation. This is a by product caused by water disinfection.
Total Organic Carbon
This is a treatment doe yearly. This year there was a 25-45% required removal amount which achieved 30-55% removal and no quarters were out of compliance. This is not a violation.
Atrazine Allowable level 3ppb
The final test indicated a level of 0.4 which fluctuated between undetectable and 0.4 throughout the year. This is not a violation. This is caused by runoff from herbicide used in row crops.
Water Hardness
This ranged from 80-145 ppm. There is no minimum or maximum acceptable level for this.
Alkalinity
Levels ranged from 35-67 ppm and averaged 53 ppm
Water pH 7 is considered neutral
Levels ranged form 7.7-8.0 pH and averaged 7.9 pH
*Many municipalities within Chester County are currently fighting for and trying to gain access to grants to help not only the local government, but also individual homeowners to help remove outdated plumbing systems and install new plumbing that meets current code and health standards.
For more information about the CWA or these tests please visit the CWA website at https://chesterwater.com/
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