TOC

Questions ? If you have questions or concerns relating to your drinking water or water service, please contact a citizen advocate at (919) 469-4090. For more information about this report, please contact Rachel Monschein, Chemist/Laboratory Supervisor, at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility at (919) 362-5507 or rachel.monschein@townofcary.org. Where Does Our Water Come From? T he Town of Cary's drinking water source is the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir, more commonly known as Jordan Lake, which lies approximately 10 miles west of Cary in eastern Chatham County. The lake is a surface water supply developed and managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and is part of the Cape Fear River basin. Additionally, the Town maintains water system interconnections with the City of Raleigh, Town of Holly Springs, and City of Durham, which can be used in event of emergency to ensure adequate water supply for Town customers. Community Water Fluoridation T he safety and benefits of fluoride are well documented. For more than 70 years, U.S. citizens have benefited from drinking water containing fluoride, leading to better dental health. Drinking fluoridated water keeps the teeth strong and has reduced tooth decay by approximately 25% in children and adults. Over the past several decades, there have been major improvements in oral health. Still, tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Community water fluoridation has been identified as the most cost-effective method of delivering fluoride to all members of the community, regardless of age, educational attainment, or income level. Nearly all water contains some fluoride, but usually not enough to help prevent tooth decay or cavities. Public water systems can add the right amount of fluoride to the local drinking water to prevent tooth decay. Community water fluoridation is recommended by nearly all public health, medical, and dental organizations in the United States. Because of its contribution to the dramatic decline in tooth decay, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named community water fluoridation one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. (Courtesy of CDC: cdc.gov/fluoridation) Cross-Connection Control Program C ross-connections that can potentially contaminate drinking water distribution lines are a major concern. A cross-connection is formed at any point where a drinking water line connects to industrial equipment (such as boilers), systems containing chemicals (such as air conditioning systems, fire sprinkler systems, and irrigation systems), or water sources of questionable quality. Cross-connection contamination can occur when the pressure in the equipment or system is greater than the pressure inside the drinking water line causing backpressure. Contamination can also occur when the pressure in the drinking water line drops due to occurrences such as water main breaks or heavy water demand, potentially causing contaminants to backflow from the equipment and into the drinking water system. Community water supplies are potentially jeopardized by cross-connections unless appropriate valves, known as backflow prevention devices, are installed and properly maintained. We have surveyed all industrial, commercial, institutional, and irrigation facilities in the Town's service area to make sure that potential cross-connections are identified and eliminated or protected by a backflow preventer. We also require annual inspection and testing of each backflow preventer to make sure that it is providing maximum protection. These annual inspections are also required for all residential irrigation systems. For more information on our Cross-Connection Control Program, visit the Town's website or call a citizen advocate at (919) 469-4090.

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