Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/684048
Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility Y our drinking water is produced at the Cary/ Apex Water Treatment Facility, a plant co-owned by the towns of Cary and Apex and located on Wimberly Road in western Wake County. The facility has a current capacity of 40 million gallons per day (MGD) and utilizes a multiple barrier treatment approach. In this approach, multiple processes are employed within the treatment plant including ozone, an advanced treatment process, as well sediment removal, filtration, and disinfection processes. The result is the production of safe, high-quality drinking water for Cary u tility customers that consistently meets all regulatory standards. Treated water is temporarily stored on-site at the facility and then pumped to water storage tanks located throughout town. The Town operates six elevated storage tanks and one ground level storage tank. Water system storage provides reliable and continuous water supply during peak demand periods while also providing for emergency storage, consistent water system pressure, and fire protection. Facility Expansion In an effort to provide for adequate water supply and meet the needs of Cary water customers in the future, a project is currently under way to expand the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility to a capacity of 56 MGD. This expansion project will provide additional treatment units for sediment removal, filtration, and ozonation, as well as upgrade the facility's chemical feed systems and water pumping capacity. Construction is expected to be completed by end of the year 2016. Water Plant Under Construction Lead in Home Plumbing I f 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. We are responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but we 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 www.epa.gov/lead. The Town of Cary has been in compliance with regulatory limits for lead and the requirements for corrosion control since the commissioning of the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility in 1993. In 2015 tests of tap water, 93 percent showed lead levels less than the analytical detection limit of three parts per billion. Tap water at only one home sampled in 2015 had lead levels above 15 parts per billion. The homeowner at this location has since replaced some plumbing fixtures in the home, and recent follow-up testing showed lead levels below detection limits. Because lead levels in our water have consistently been below regulatory limits, the Town received approval for reduced monitoring status from the State in 1997. Since that time, Cary has been required to conduct monitoring every three years. The next round is scheduled for June 2018. However to insure that our corrosion control program remains optimized, monitoring for corrosion control parameters at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility is conducted regularly.