Elizabeth City's drinking water continues to meet all state and federal requirements for safety, a yearly report generated by the city states.

While that's good news, it's also not unexpected, city Utility Director Paul Fredette says.

Justin Falls/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Chief water plant operator Ava Goodwin checks the level of chlorides in a test water sample, in the lab at the water plant in Elizabeth City, Monday afternoon. The city checks for a host of contaminants in the city's drinking water.

"The only significant thing is if we don't meet the criteria. Then we'd have to do more testing," he said.

Each year the city publishes a water quality report, as it's required to do by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The report is based on water test results reviewed by the Public Water Section of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Ava Goodwin, chief water plant operator for the city, said the city frequently tests its water for the presence of contaminants. Some of those tests are monthly, others are quarterly and some are yearly. Any contaminant levels that exceed federal guidelines must be reported to the state, she said.

The city's source of drinking water are 11 wells ranging from 87 feet to 140 deep on 400 acres off Main Street Extended. Because the water comes from the ground, there's a high likelihood of it containing natural minerals that, in large concentrations, could be harmful, Goodwin said.

For example, drinking water is considered unsafe if the concentration of lead exceeds 0.015 parts per million. The federal maximum for copper is 1.3 parts per million. Anything in excess of those levels would be considered high and require further attention, Goodwin said.

Last year, some city water samples contained as much as 0.015 parts per million of lead and 0.652 parts per million of copper.

Because the lead level did not exceed the federal maximum, the city is considered in compliance with federal water safety rules, Goodwin said.

Groundwater isn't the only source of copper and lead in drinking water. Both contaminants can also develop from corroded indoor plumbing in older homes, Goodwin said.

"The city of Elizabeth City is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components," Goodwin said.

"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 two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking."

Drinking water with too much copper for a long period of time can cause liver or kidney damage. Too much lead can cause kidney problems and high blood pressure in adults, and cause delays in physical or mental development in infants and children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The major contaminant that public water systems most frequently test for is bacteria, since it is often found in potable water that hasn't yet been treated. The federal maximum for total coliform bacteria is 5 percent.

"In 2007, the city did not detect the presence of total coliform bacteria in any monthly compliance samples," Goodwin said.

Coliforms are naturally present in the environment, as well as in the feces of animals and humans. E. coli bacteria, on the other hand, can only come from human and animal fecal waste, according to the EPA.

Consuming high levels of coliform bacteria can cause a range of stomach and intestinal ailments.

If a water main breaks, as occurred two months ago in the Riverside area, there is potential for bacteria to enter the damaged line. In those cases, the city asks residents to boil their water before using it. Boil-water advisories are then lifted once the line is fixed.

The city also tests for other contaminants, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), volatile organic compounds and inorganic compounds.

Chlorine is used to kill bacteria in the treatment process. THMs are by-products of the chlorination process that, if consumed in elevated levels over a long time, increase the risk of bladder and colorectal cancer, as well as reproductive problems, according to EPA.

The recommended maximum for THMs is an average of 0.8 ppm over four consecutive quarters, Goodwin said. Total THMs in Elizabeth City's tests were 0.5 ppm, within the federal guideline, Goodwin said.

Testing for 51 organic compounds yielded results below detection limits, while 19 inorganic compounds were tested, and three were detected, Goodwin said.

Fredette said he occasionally receives complaints about the chlorine taste of city water.

"Generally we respond to the complaint by sending somebody out there to check and see what it is," he said. "If it's routine, we'll ask them to call us back. I have not had any complaints that last any duration."

The full report is available at: http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/pws/index.htm

Contact Bob Montgomery at bmontgomery@coxnc.com)