The City of St. Petersburg Water Resources Department routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws, rules and regulations. Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2020.

As authorized and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State has reduced monitoring requirements for certain contaminants to less often than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of our data (e.g., for inorganic contaminants), though representative, is more than one year old. This report shows our water quality results, and you will notice that we had no maximum contaminant level (MCL) violations.

Unless otherwise indicated, the data provided in this report are results from testing of treated water from the Cosme Water Treatment Plant. However, if you would like to request a copy of our wholesaler’s annual water quality report, please contact Tampa Bay Water at 727-796-2355.

This report can be mailed to customers only upon request by calling the Water Resources Department at 727-893-7261. This report is also available upon request at the Water Resources Administration Building and is online at stpete.org/WaterQuality.

PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY DRINKING WATER

In 2020, about 9.7 billion gallons of water were treated at the Cosme Water Treatment Plant, which is located in northwest Hillsborough County. This treatment includes aeration, lime softening to help with corrosion control, disinfection with chloramines and filtration. Sodium hydroxide is utilized to maintain a stable pH for enhancement of disinfection and corrosion control in the distribution system and fluoride is added to benefit dental health.

OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCES

The City of St. Petersburg is one of six member governments that formed Tampa Bay Water (TBW), the regional water utility which supplies all of our drinking water. The water is a dynamic blend of groundwater, surface water and desalinated water. Groundwater is supplied by six different well fields (TBW controls fourteen well fields in total), pumping water from the Floridan Aquifer. Surface water is drawn from the Alafia River, the Hillsborough River, the C. W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir and the Tampa Bypass Canal. Hillsborough Bay is the primary supply for the Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination facility.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) performs source water assessments to provide information about potential sources of contamination to water systems. In 2020, the FDEP performed assessments for Tampa

Bay Water.

The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at fldep.dep.state.fl.us/swapp/ or they can be obtained from Tampa Bay Water by calling 727-796-2355 or visiting 2575 Enterprise Road, Clearwater, FL 33763.

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS

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. Guidelines from the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection

by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

LEAD IN DRINKING WATER

In the summer of 2020, the City performed lead and copper testing of tap water collected at residences throughout the City. Results of these analyses indicated very low levels of lead in all the household taps tested. Although these tests indicate that our corrosion control measures are successful in preventing leaching of lead in household plumbing, the EPA would like you to know that, if present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The City of St. Petersburg is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at epa.gov/safewater/lead.

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS

The City of St. Petersburg has been monitoring for unregulated contaminants (UCs) as part of a study to help the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determine the occurrence in drinking water of UCs and whether or not these contaminants need to be regulated. At present, no health standards (for example, maximum contaminant levels) have been established for UCs. However, we are required to publish the analytical results of our UC monitoring in our annual water quality report. If you would like more information on the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule, please call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

POSSIBLE SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION

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 include:

• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which may occur naturally or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products
  of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally- occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

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 the 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 at 1-800-426-4791.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

This report is available online at stpete.org/WaterQuality.

For questions regarding this report: Operations Specialist • 727-551-3748

To request a physical copy of this report:

Water Resources Department • 727-893-726 or visit the Water Resources Administration building at 1650 3rd Ave. N.

To report leaks or other water quality problems (answered 24 hrs): Water Resources Dept. • 727-893-7261

Questions regarding your utility bill: Customer Service • 727-893-7341

For questions regarding water treatment: Operations Specialist • 727-551-3748

Questions about watering restrictions and conservation: Water Watch Info Line • 727-892-5300

To request speakers for your neighborhood association meetings: Water Resources Dept. • 727-893-7261

Online drinking water information from EPA: epa.gov/drink

GET INVOLVED

The City of St. Petersburg encourages public interest and participation in our community’s decisions affecting drinking water. The public is welcome at City Council meetings which occur regularly on Thursdays. Find the Council meeting schedule at stpete.org/meetings. Other ways to become involved include contacting elected officials and participating in your neighborhood association.

LEGEND

AL or Action Level • The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

ETDS • Entrance to the distribution system.

LRAAMRR • Lowest running annual average, compiled quarterly, of monthly removal ratios.

MCL or Maximum Contaminant Level • The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

MCLG or Maximum Contaminant Level Goal • The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. MRDL or Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level • The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

MRDLG or Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal • The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

MRR • Monthly removal ratios.

N/A • not applicable.

ND • Means not detected and indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis.

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) • Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person. It is monitored it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of filtration systems. High turbidity can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants.

PPB (Parts Per Billion) or μg/L (Micrograms Per Liter) • one part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample.

PPM (Parts Per Million) or mg/L (Milligrams Per Liter) • one part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample.

RAA – Running annual average (computed quarterly) of monthly averages.

46. or Treatment Technique • A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.