HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.a. Consumer Confidence ReportI:\City Clerk\Agenda Items\Approved Items\2.a. Consumer Confidence Report.docx
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Work Session: June 2, 2020
AGENDA ITEM: Consumer Confidence Report AGENDA SECTION:
Discussion
PREPARED BY: Brian Erickson, P.E., Director of Public
Works/City Engineer AGENDA NO. 2.a.
ATTACHMENTS: 2019 Consumer Confidence Report APPROVED BY: LJM
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion
DISCUSSION
The City of Rosemount is required to submit a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually to the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). This report shows the results of required testing for the public
water source in the city. This report does not cover those properties that are served by private wells.
In recent years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with state agencies, has
performed testing on additional unregulated contaminants. The most recent round of the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Rule, known as UCMR 4, is occurring from 2017 through 2021. That recent
round of testing performed in 2019 found that there were some wells that had an occurrence of
manganese (Mn).
Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that is necessary for normal health and is found in foods like
nuts, seeds, tea and leafy green vegetables. In higher concentrations however, Mn can have detrimental
effects. Generally, infants under the age of 1 are affected by concentrations over 100 parts per billion if
that water is used for reconstituting dry formula. A concentration of 300 parts per billion or less is
recommended for ages 1 and up.
As noted on the CCR, the comparison value for Mn is 100 parts per billion (ppb) and the results of some
testing in two of our ten wells resulted in exceeding that level. A majority of the results were below the
100 ppb. Staff has been working with the MDH in an effort to perform additional testing at the wells.
However, due to the Governor’s shelter in place order, MDH has suspended all non-essential field work
which would include Mn testing since it is not a regulated contaminant.
Since initial notice from the MDH, Public Works has suspended pumping from the wells that tested above
the comparison value. Coordination with the MDH Drinking Water Section has been ongoing to ensure
the safety of Rosemount’s drinking water. Staff has also received a proposal to perform engineering
services from one of the pool consultants related to addressing the potential concerns of Mn.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is bringing this forward as a discussion and update to City Council and has also invited the Utility
Commissioners to attend the meeting. The Consumer Confidence Report will be posted prior to the end
of the month as required by the MDH.
Making Safe Drinking Water
Your drinking water comes from a groundwater source: nine wells ranging from 400 to 507 feet deep, that
draw water from the Jordan aquifer.
Rosemount works hard to provide you with safe and reliable drinking water that meets federal and state
water quality requirements. The purpose of this report is to provide you with information on your drinking
water and how to protect our precious water resources.
Please contact the Public Works Department at 651-322-2022 or pwadm@ci.rosemount.mn.us if you have
questions about Rosemount’s drinking water. You can also ask for information about how you can take part in
decisions that may affect water quality.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets safe drinking water standards. These standards limit the
amounts of specific contaminants allowed in drinking water. This ensures that tap water is safe to drink for
most people. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of certain contaminants in bottled
water. Bottled water must provide the same public health protection as public tap water.
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 water poses a health
risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the
Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Rosemount Monitoring Results
This report contains our monitoring results from January 1 to December 31, 2019.
We work with the Minnesota Department of Health to test drinking water for more than 100 contaminants. It
is not unusual to detect contaminants in small amounts. No water supply is ever completely free of
contaminants. Drinking water standards protect Minnesotans from substances that may be harmful to their
health.
Learn more by visiting the Minnesota Department of Health’s webpage Basics of Monitoring and testing of
Drinking Water in Minnesota
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/sampling.html).
2019 Drinking Water Report
How to Read the Water Quality Data Tables
The tables below show the contaminants we found last year or the most recent time we sampled for that
contaminant. They also show the levels of those contaminants and the Environmental Protection Agency’s
limits. Substances that we tested for but did not find are not included in the tables.
We sample for some contaminants less than once a year because their levels in water are not expected to
change from year to year. If we found any of these contaminants the last time we sampled for them, we
included them in the tables below with the detection date.
We may have done additional monitoring for contaminants that are not included in the Safe Drinking Water
Act. To request a copy of these results, call the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-4700 or 1-800-
818-9318 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
DEFINITIONS
AL (Action Level): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements which a water system must follow.
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
MCL (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 (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 (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 (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.
N/A (Not applicable): Does not apply.
pCi/l (picocuries per liter): A measure of radioactivity.
ppb (parts per billion): One part per billion in water is like one drop in one billion drops of water, or
about one drop in a swimming pool. ppb is the same as micrograms per liter (μg/l).
ppm (parts per million): One part per million is like one drop in one million drops of water, or about
one cup in a swimming pool. ppm is the same as milligrams per liter (mg/l).
PWSID: Public water system identification.
TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in
drinking water.
Water Quality Data Tables
Monitoring Results – Regulated Substances
LEAD AND COPPER – Tested at customer taps.
Contaminant
(Date, if sampled
in previous year)
EPA’s
Ideal Goal
(MCLG)
EPA’s Action
Level
90% of
Results
Were Less
Than
Number of
Homes with
High Levels
Violation Typical
Sources
Lead 0 ppb 90% of
homes less
than 15 ppb
2.2 ppb 0 out of 30 NO Corrosion of
household
plumbing.
Copper 0 ppm 90% of
homes less
than 1.3 ppm
0.9 ppm 0 out of 30 NO Corrosion of
household
plumbing.
BACTERIA – Tested in the distribution system.
Contaminant
EPA’s
Ideal
Goal
(MCLG)
EPA’s Limit (MCL)
Number
of Test
Results
with E.
coli
Number of
Treatment
Technique
Exceedances
Violation Typical
Sources
E. coli 0 Routine and repeat
samples are total coliform-
positive and either is E. coli
positive or system fails to
take repeat samples
following E. coli-positive
routine sample or system
fails to analyze total
coliform-positive repeat
sample for E. coli.
2 0 NO Human
and
animal
fecal
waste.
INORGANIC & ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS – Tested in drinking water.
Contaminant
(Date, if sampled
in previous year)
EPA’s
Ideal
Goal
(MCLG)
EPA’s
Limit
(MCL)
Highest
Average or
Highest
Single Test
Result
Range of
Detected
Test
Results
Violation Typical Sources
Nitrate 10 ppm 10.4
ppm
4.4 ppm 0.00 - 4.40
ppm
NO Runoff from
fertilizer use;
Leaching from
septic tanks,
sewage; Erosion of
natural deposits.
Barium 2 ppm 2 ppm 0.07 ppm N/A NO Discharge of drilling
wastes; Discharge
from metal
refineries; Erosion
of natural deposit.
Gross Alpha 0 pCi/l 15.4
pCi/l
10 pCi/l 0.0 - 14.0
pCi/l
NO Erosion of natural
deposits.
Combined
Radium
0 pCi/l 5.4
pCi/l
4.7 pCi/l 0.0 - 6.3
pCi/l
NO Erosion of natural
deposits.
CONTAMINANTS RELATED TO DISINFECTION – Tested in drinking water.
Substance (Date, if
sampled in previous
year)
EPA’s Ideal
Goal
(MCLG or
MRDLG)
EPA’s
Limit
(MCL or
MRDL)
Highest
Average or
Highest
Single Test
Result
Range of
Detected
Test
Results
Violation Typical
Sources
Total
Trihalomethanes
(TTHMs)
N/A 80 ppb 10.3 ppb 5.40 - 10.30
ppb
NO By-product of
drinking water
disinfection.
Total Haloacetic
Acids (HAA)
N/A 60 ppb 1.6 ppb 0.00 - 1.60
ppb
NO By-product of
drinking water
disinfection.
Total Chlorine 4.0 ppm 4.0 ppm 0.29 ppm 0.09 - 0.47
ppm
NO Water additive
used to control
microbes.
Total HAA refers to HAA5
OTHER SUBSTANCES – Tested in drinking water.
Substance
(Date, if
sampled in
previous year)
EPA’s
Ideal Goal
(MCLG)
EPA’s
Limit
(MCL)
Highest
Average or
Highest Single
Test Result
Range of
Detected
Test Results
Violation Typical Sources
Fluoride 4.0 ppm 4.0
ppm
0.77 ppm 0.31 - 0.83
ppm
NO Erosion of natural
deposits; Water
additive to
promote strong
teeth.
Monitoring Results – Unregulated Substances
In addition to testing drinking water for contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, we
sometimes also monitor for contaminants that are not regulated. Unregulated contaminants do not have
legal limits for drinking water.
Detection alone of a regulated or unregulated contaminant should not cause concern. The meaning of a
detection should be determined considering current health effects information. We are often still learning
about the health effects, so this information can change over time.
The following table shows the unregulated contaminants we detected last year, as well as human-health
based guidance values for comparison, where available. The comparison values are based only on potential
health impacts and do not consider our ability to measure contaminants at very low concentrations or the
cost and technology of prevention and/or treatment. They may be set at levels that are costly, challenging,
or impossible for water systems to meet (for example, large-scale treatment technology may not exist for a
given contaminant).
A person drinking water with a contaminant at or below the comparison value would be at little or no risk
for harmful health effects. If the level of a contaminant is above the comparison value, people of a certain
age or with special health conditions - like a fetus, infants, children, elderly, and people with impaired
immunity – may need to take extra precautions. Because these contaminants are unregulated, EPA and
MDH require no particular action based on detection of an unregulated contaminant. We are notifying you
of the unregulated contaminants we have detected as a public education opportunity.
Potential Health Effects and Corrective Actions (If Applicable)
Fluoride: Fluoride is nature's cavity fighter, with small amounts present naturally in many drinking water
sources. There is an overwhelming weight of credible, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence that
fluoridation reduces tooth decay and cavities in children and adults, even when there is availability of
fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinses. Since studies show that
optimal fluoride levels in drinking water benefit public health, municipal community water systems
adjust the level of fluoride in the water to a concentration between 0.5 to 1.5 parts per million (ppm),
with an optimal fluoridation goal between 0.7 and 1.2 ppm to protect your teeth. Fluoride levels below
2.0 ppm are not expected to increase the risk of a cosmetic condition known as enamel fluorosis.
▪ More information is available on MDH’s A-Z List of Contaminants in Water
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/contaminants/index.html)
and Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4)
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/com/ucmr4.html).
UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS – Tested in drinking water.
Contaminant Comparison Value
Highest Average
Result or Highest
Single Test Result
Range of Detected Test
Results
Sodium* 20 ppm 3.45 ppm N/A
Sulfate 500 ppm 13.9 ppm N/A
Germanium 0 ppb 0.16 ppb 0.00 - 0.32 ppb
Manganese 100 ppb 129 ppb 28.70 - 129.00 ppb
Group of 6 Haloacetic
Acids (HAA6Br)
N/A 0.8 ppb 0.40 - 1.50 ppb
Group of 9 Haloacetic
Acids (HAA9)
N/A 1.96 ppb 0.98 - 3.03 ppb
*Note that home water softening can increase the level of sodium in your water.
Some People Are More Vulnerable to Contaminants in Drinking Water
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. The developing fetus and therefore pregnant women may
also be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water. These people or their caregivers should seek
advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial
contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Learn More about Your Drinking Water
Drinking Water Sources
Minnesota’s primary drinking water sources are groundwater and surface water.
Groundwater is the water found in aquifers beneath the surface of the land.
Groundwater supplies 75 percent of Minnesota’s drinking water. Surface water is
the water in lakes, rivers, and streams above the surface of the land. Surface water
supplies 25 percent of Minnesota’s drinking water.
Contaminants can get in drinking water sources from the natural environment and
from people’s daily activities. There are five main types of contaminants in drinking
water sources.
▪ Microbial contaminants, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Sources include sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, pets, and wildlife.
▪ Inorganic contaminants include salts and metals from natural sources (e.g. rock and soil), oil and gas
production, mining and farming operations, urban stormwater runoff, and wastewater discharges.
▪ Pesticides and herbicides are chemicals used to reduce or kill unwanted plants and pests. Sources
include agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and commercial and residential properties.
▪ Organic chemical contaminants include synthetic and volatile organic compounds. Sources include
industrial processes and petroleum production, gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic
systems.
▪ Radioactive contaminants such as radium, thorium, and uranium isotopes come from natural
sources (e.g. radon gas from soils and rock), mining operations, and oil and gas production.
The Minnesota Department of Health provides information about your drinking water source(s) in a source
water assessment, including:
▪ How Rosemount is protecting your drinking water source(s);
▪ Nearby threats to your drinking water sources;
▪ How easily water and pollution can move from the surface of the land into drinking water sources,
based on natural geology and the way wells are constructed.
Find your source water assessment at Source Water Assessments
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/swp/swa) or call 651-201-4700 or 1-800-
818-9318 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Lead in Drinking Water
You may be in contact with lead through paint, water, dust, soil, food, hobbies, or your job. Coming in contact
with lead can cause serious health problems for everyone. There is no safe level of lead. Babies, children under
six years, and pregnant women are at the highest risk.
Lead is rarely in a drinking water source, but it can get in your drinking water as it passes through lead service
lines and your household plumbing system. Rosemount is responsible for providing high quality drinking
water, but it cannot control the plumbing materials used in private buildings.
Read below to learn how you can protect yourself from lead in drinking water.
1. Let the water run for 30-60 seconds before using it for drinking or cooking if the water has not been
turned on in over six hours. If you have a lead service line, you may need to let the water run longer. A
service line is the underground pipe that brings water from the main water pipe under the street to
your home.
▪ You can find out if you have a lead service line by contacting
your public water system, or you can check by following the
steps at: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/06/24/npr-
find-lead-pipes-in-your-home
▪ The only way to know if lead has been reduced by letting it
run is to check with a test. If letting the water run does not
reduce lead, consider other options to reduce your exposure.
2. Use cold water for drinking, making food, and making baby formula. Hot water releases more lead
from pipes than cold water.
3. Test your water. In most cases, letting the water run and using cold water for drinking and cooking
should keep lead levels low in your drinking water. If you are still concerned about lead, arrange with a
laboratory to test your tap water. Testing your water is important if young children or pregnant women
drink your tap water.
▪ Contact a Minnesota Department of Health accredited laboratory to get a sample container
and instructions on how to submit a sample:
Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program
(https://eldo.web.health.state.mn.us/public/accreditedlabs/labsearch.seam)
The Minnesota Department of Health can help you understand your test results.
4. Treat your water if a test shows your water has high levels of lead after you let the water run.
▪ Read about water treatment units:
Point-of-Use Water Treatment Units for Lead Reduction
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/poulead.html)
Learn more:
▪ Visit Lead in Drinking Water
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/contaminants/lead.html)
▪ Visit Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead)
▪ Call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.To learn about how to reduce your
contact with lead from sources other than your drinking water, visit Lead Poisoning
Prevention: Common Sources
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/lead/sources.html).
Help Protect Our Most Precious Resource – Water
The Value of Water
Drinking water is a precious resource, yet we often take it for granted.
Throughout history, civilizations have risen and fallen based on access to a plentiful, safe water supply. That’s
still the case today. Water is key to healthy people and healthy communities.
Water is also vital to our economy. We need water for manufacturing, agriculture, energy production, and
more. One-fifth of the U.S. economy would come to a stop without a reliable and clean source of water.
Systems are in place to provide you with safe drinking water. The state of Minnesota and local water systems
work to protect drinking water sources. For example, we might work to seal an unused well to prevent
contamination of the groundwater. We treat water to remove harmful contaminants. And we do extensive
testing to ensure the safety of drinking water.
If we detect a problem, we take corrective action and notify the public. Water from a public water system like
yours is tested more thoroughly and regulated more closely than water from any other source, including
bottled water.
Conservation
Conservation is essential, even in the land of 10,000 lakes. For example, in parts
of the metropolitan area, groundwater is being used faster than it can be
replaced. Some agricultural regions in Minnesota are vulnerable to drought,
which can affect crop yields and municipal water supplies.
We must use our water wisely. Below are some tips to help you and your family
conserve – and save money in the process.
▪ Fix running toilets—they can waste hundreds of gallons of water.
▪ Turn off the tap while shaving or brushing your teeth.
▪ Shower instead of bathe. Bathing uses more water than showering, on average.
▪ Only run full loads of laundry, and set the washing machine to the correct water level.
▪ Only run the dishwasher when it’s full.
▪ Use water-efficient appliances (look for the WaterSense label).
▪ Use water-friendly landscaping, such as native plants.
▪ When you do water your yard, water slowly, deeply, and less frequently. Water early in the morning
and close to the ground. Your lawn needs no more than 1” of water per week from all sources,
including rain. Learn more about how to best operate your irrigation system without wasting water
https://turf.umn.edu/news/green-grass-less-blue-new-video.
Learn more
▪ Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Conserving Water webpage
(https://www.pca.state.mn.us/living-green/conserving-water)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense webpage (https://www.epa.gov/watersense)
You Can Prevent Pollution
Our surface waters and drinking water are linked. The storm drains on your street flows to the nearest
lake, pond, or wetland without receiving water quality treatment. The water in surface waters soak into
the ground, where it can eventually become drinking water. Many of our daily activities contribute to
the pollution of Minnesota’s surface water and groundwater. You can help protect these drinking water
sources by taking the following actions:
▪ Lawn and property:
▪ Limit use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers on your property.
▪ Keep soil in place with plants, grass, or rocks.
▪ Cover temporary piles of dirt with a tarp or burlap sack.
▪ Keep leaves and grass off of streets and sidewalks.
▪ Maintain any septic systems, private wells, and storage tanks to prevent leaks. Seal any unused
wells.
▪ Out-of-date medications: Never flush unwanted or out-of-date medications down the toilet or sink.
Always take them to a waste disposal or prescription medication drop-off site. A drop-off site is
located at the Rosemount Police Station at 2875 145th St W. More More information is available at
Managing unwanted medications (www.pca.state.mn.us/living-green/managing-unwanted-
medications)
▪ Hazardous materials: Safety store hazardous materials such as paint, batteries, herbicides,
pesticides, and pool chemicals. Dispose of them at a proper waste disposal facility or drop-off event.
Do not dump down storm drains, sink or onto your land. Learn more at: Keep hazardous waste out
of the garbage (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/featured/keep-hazardous-waste-out-garbage).
▪ Pet waste: Pick up after your pet and put waste in the trash.
▪ Trash: Seal trash bags and keep litter out of the street.
▪ Winter ice removal: Chemicals used to break up the ice are called deicers or anti-icers. They can be
harmful to the environment, corrosive to driveways and sidewalks and harmful to plants, pets and
humans. Always shovel first, and then only apply deicers/anti-icers lightly if needed. Learn more at
10 smart salting tips to protect Minnesota waters (https://www.pca.state.mn.us/featured/10-
smart-salting-tips-protect-minnesota-waters).
▪ Keep an eye out for car and motor fluids: Seal or repair any fluid leaks that could run off onto
streets and into storm drains. Take used motor oil or other fluids to a neighborhood drop-off site.
▪ Be a water advocate: Spread the word; get involved; adopt a drain (https://www.adopt-a-
drain.org/). There are many groups and individuals working to protect water across Minnesota.
Become a Master Water Steward https://masterwaterstewards.org/.
Reduce Backflow at Cross Connections
Bacteria and chemicals can enter the drinking water supply from polluted water
sources in a process called backflow. Backflow occurs at connection points between
drinking water and non-drinking water supplies (cross connections) due to water
pressure differences.
For example, if a person sprays an herbicide with a garden hose, the herbicide could
enter the home's plumbing and then enter the drinking water supply. This could
happen if the water pressure in the hose is greater than the water pressure in the home's pipes.
Property owners can help prevent backflow. Pay attention to cross connections, such as garden hoses.
The Minnesota Department of Health and American Water Works Association recommend the
following:
▪ Do not submerge hoses in buckets, pools, tubs, or sinks.
▪ Keep the end of hoses clear of possible contaminants.
▪ Do not use spray attachments without a backflow prevention device. Attach these devices to
threaded faucets. Such devices are inexpensive and available at hardware stores.
▪ Use a licensed plumber to install backflow prevention devices.
▪ Maintain air gaps between hose outlets and liquids. An air gap is a vertical space between the water
outlet and the flood level of a fixture (e.g. the space between a wall-mounted faucet and the sink
rim). It must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, and at least one inch.
▪ Commercial property owners should develop a plan for flushing or cleaning water systems to
minimize the risk of drawing contaminants into uncontaminated areas.
Home Water Treatment
Most Minnesotans, whether they drink from a public water supply or a private well, have drinking water that
does not need treatment for health protection. Water treatment units are best for improving the physical
qualities of water—the taste, color, or odor.
No single treatment process can remove all substances in water. If you decide to install a home water
treatment unit, choose a unit certified and labeled to reduce or remove the substance of concern. If there is
more than one substance you want to remove from your water, you may need to combine several treatment
processes into one system.
Even well-designed treatments systems can fail. You should continue to test your drinking water after you
install a treatment unit. All home water treatment units need regular maintenance to work correctly. Regular
maintenance may include changing filters, disinfecting the unit, or cleaning scale buildup. Always install, clean,
and maintain a treatment unit according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Learn more at Home Water Treatment
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/hometreatment.html).
Beware of Water Treatment Scams
False claims, deceptive sales pitches, or scare tactics have been used by
some water treatment companies. Every person has a right to decide what
is best for themselves and their family, and you may choose to install
additional water treatment to further lower the levels of contaminants of
emerging concern, chlorine, and other chemicals in your water. However,
you should be cautious about purchasing a water treatment system. If you
are considering the purchase of a home water treatment system, please
read the Minnesota Department of Health’s recommendations online at Warning: Beware of Water Treatment
Scams (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/beware.html).
The Pros and Cons of Home Water Softening
When considering whether to use a water softener, contact your public water system to find out if you have
hard water. Many systems treat for hardness, making water softeners unnecessary.
Water softeners are a water treatment device. They remove water hardness (dissolved calcium and
magnesium). Water softeners must be installed and maintained properly to be safe and effective. Learn more
at Home Water Softening
(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/softening.html).
The benefits of soft water include:
▪ Increased efficiency for soaps and detergents.
▪ Reduction in mineral staining on fixtures and in pipes.
▪ A potential increase in the lifespan of water heaters.
The drawbacks of soft water include:
▪ Operation and maintenance costs.
▪ More sodium. People on low-sodium diets should consult a doctor if they plan to regularly consume
softened water.
The production of salt brine as a byproduct of salt-based water softeners. This can have negative effects at
wastewater treatment plants and on ecosystems. It increases chloride, which wastewater treatment plants
cannot remove, which then gets released into the Mississippi River. High concentration of chlorides kill fish and
the critters they feed on in addition to other negative impacts. Reduce the amount of salt brine used or install
a salt-free system, install an on demand system, or adjust your current softener’s settings and timer. Stop
softening your irrigation system, outdoor spigots, and cold drinking water taps.