The United States has one of the safest and most reliable drinking water systems in the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A majority of Americans get their tap water from community water systems. Tampa residents get their water system from the Florida Governmental Utility Authority or FGUA.
The FGUA owns and operates over 97 water and wastewater utility systems across 14 counties.
Matt Rihs is the Community Service Manager for the FGUA. He said that they have to follow requirements at both state and federal levels.
“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection sets the state rules for drinking water requirements and then there is the Environmental Protection Agency on the federal level that makes us reach certain requirements,” Rihs said.
The Consumers Confidence Report (CCR) is referred to as a “report card” for the FGUA. These CCRs will list the levels of contaminants, the dates of testing, likely sources, and whether they exceed lawful levels.
On the CCRs, the company provides information on drinking water, assessment plans, and how to reach them. There is a list of contaminants that may be present in the water source.
The contaminants’ names are:
- Microbial: this bacteria may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, and wildlife
- Inorganic: these are salts and metals that are naturally occurring or a result of urban stormwater runoff
- Pesticides and herbicides: these may come from agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses
- Organic Chemical: this can be from the by-products of industrial processes, gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
- Radioactive: can naturally occur or can be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities
CCRs from 2020 through 2023 can be found on their website, which includes reports for specific locations.
“We have a compliance group that measures our, water quality its part of what customers see on the Consumers Confidence Reports,” Rihs said. “Those reports will tell customers how frequently we are required to sample the waters. This can be anything from quarterly or yearly based on results.”
Rihs said there has not been an exceedance or violation of the water levels.
If there is a violation in the future, strict rules are in place to notify customers.
The DEP and EPA set requirements about how quickly the company needs to notify customers if the water is in violation.
“We have a reverse 911 system to notify customers. We’ll also do as necessary, door-to-door delivery with letters to notify those with issues. But we are very consistent with maintaining excellent water quality,” Rihs said.
Some tips to help keep the water cleaner outside the help of the FGUA are:
- Clean up after your animal’s waste outside: it can speculate into the water supply over time and affect what the company does to treat water
- Dont dump chemicals directly into the ground
- Properly dispose of chemicals- use chemical disposal spots
- Avoid runoffs
- Be mindful of chemical usage
- Use more environmentally safe fertilizer
For more resources on FGUA and what is happening in your residential area visit fgua.com.
