Base's water supply safe for drinking

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LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  The base's water is safe to drink according to the 2009 drinking water quality report released by the 19th Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental engineering office.

The base purchases treated water from Jacksonville Water Works whose sources are 12 wells that pump from the Quaternary System Aquifer. Jacksonville Water Works also purchases water from Central Arkansas Water, which receives its supply from two surface water sources: Lake Winona and Lake Maumelle. Both lakes can supply Jackson Reservoir, a regulating reservoir located in Little Rock.

Water is delivered by pipeline to the Jack H. Wilson and Ozark Point water treatment plants. Both treatment facilities are located in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Department of Health has completed Source Water Vulnerability Assessments for Jacksonville Water Works and Central Arkansas Water.

The assessments summarize the potential for contamination of sources of drinking water and can be used as a basis for developing source water protection plans.

Based on the various criteria of the assessments, water sources have been determined to have a low-to-high susceptibility to contamination. People may request summaries of the assessments from the bioenvironmental engineering office by calling 987-7398.

All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.

In order to assure tap water is safe to drink, the Environmental Protection Agency prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)426-4791.

Click here to view the full 2009 annual drinking water report or pick up a copy of the report at the bioenvironmental office, Bldg. 756.

If people have any questions about the report or concerning the water utility, call 1st Lt. Vivian Miller at 987-7398.

(From compiled reports)