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C A RY, N O RT H C A R O L I N A A N N U A L WAT E R Q U A L I T Y R E P O R T 2 0 2 2 12 Cary is committed to providing high-quality, safe drinking water and closely follows the scientific study of contaminants of emerging concern. More than 100,000 chemicals are registered in the United States, and new chemicals and microorganisms continue to be identified. Improved technology is measuring substances at lower thresholds every year. Some of these contaminants can now be detected at extremely low levels (parts per trillion, or ppt concentrations). For reference, one ppt is the approximate equivalent of one grain of sugar dissolved in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The fact that a substance is detectable doesn't always mean it is harmful. The health significance of these trace contaminants is often under review and the subject of further study and research. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues health advisories for drinking water contaminants when research indicates there may be potential health effects. Health advisory levels are the minimum concentrations of compounds which may present health risks to an individual over a lifetime of exposure. Health advisories are not regulations and are not enforceable. They provide technical information that federal, state, and local agencies can use to inform their actions to address PFAS in drinking water, and they remain in place until the EPA establishes National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Each year, Cary tests your drinking water approximately 100,000 times for many substances including the contaminants of emerging concern: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and 1,4-dioxane. W H AT A R E E M E R G I N G C O N TA M I N A N T S ? UNREGUL ATED SYNTHETIC OR NATURALLY OCCURRING CHEMICALS THAT ARE NOT COMMONLY MONITORED BY WATER UTILITIES.

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