Get to Know Your Water Source

Your Health

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than others. People with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of infection, including but not limited to the following groups:

• People receiving chemotherapy

• Organ transplant recipients

• People with HIV/AIDS or other immune systems disorders

• Some elderly individuals

• Infants 

These groups should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking water. U.S. EPA and the Center for Disease Control also have guidelines to lessen your risk of infection by microbial contaminants.

Contaminants

Drinking water, including bottled water, may contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily mean that water poses a health risk.

You can get more information about contaminants and potential health effects by calling the U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water hotline (800-426-4791) or visiting epa.gov/safewater.

Source Water Protections

In 2003, the State of Michigan performed an assessment on our source water. This assessment looked at Lake Michigan’s susceptibility or the relative potential of contamination. The susceptibility rating is given on a scale from “very-low” to “very-high,” with seven possible ratings. Ratings are based on geologic sensitivity, water chemistry and contamination sources. The State rated the Holland BPW’s water intake as “moderately sensitive.” It rated the water source itself as having a “moderately high” susceptibility to contamination.

The State identified 364 potential sources of contamination in the 175 square miles of watershed that could impact our water source. Their report further states, “Historically, the Holland Board of Public Works Water Treatment Plant has effectively treated this water source to meet drinking water standards. There have been no detections of synthetic or volatile organic contaminants in the system’s raw water.” You can get a copy of Holland BPW’s full Source Water Assessment by calling 616.355.1500.

To continue these efforts, Holland BPW has an award-winning Surface Water Intake Protection Plan (SWIPP) in place. The EPA and EGLE encourage this voluntary effort that outlines community-wide actions and efforts to protect drinking water sources. For more information about Holland BPW’s SWIPP, please call the Water Treatment Plant at 616.355.1589.

Sources of Drinking Water

Drinking water (both from the tap and bottled water) can come from rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs or wells. Holland BPW’s drinking water comes from Lake Michigan. 

As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive material. Water can also pick up contaminants that come from animal or human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria. These contaminants may come from wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals. Some of these occur naturally. Salts and metals can also come from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater, oil and gas production, mining or farming.

• Pesticides and herbicides. These may come from a variety of sources including agriculture and residential uses.

• Radioactive contaminants. These can be naturally-occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

• Organic chemical contaminants. These include synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production. Organic chemical contaminants can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA limits the levels of certain contaminants in public water systems. Similarly, Federal Food and Drug Administration regulations limit contaminants in bottled water to protect public health.

Lead & Copper

Pipes can be made of a variety of materials such as iron or plastic. In the past, some may have been made from galvanized metals or lead. Holland BPW completed an inventory of water service lines in 2018. This inventory did not identify any service lines made completely out of lead pipe. This inventory was based on information provided in construction records and plumbing inspections required when service lines were installed or replaced, and was verified through visual inspection of a statistically significant number of randomly selected service lines. The inventory is updated any time new records and inspections are obtained.

Most metals disintegrate as they corrode. However, corroding galvanized pipes pick up deposits that the water carries from other pipes in the system. Because these galvanized pipes were once connected to lead goosenecks, lead deposits may have built up inside the galvanized pipe. 

For this reason, Holland BPW has a program in place to replace all remaining galvanized lines in the system by the end of 2038. This time frame aligns with State of Michigan regulations and Holland BPW’s asset management plan. This replacement program includes:

1. The public section of the galvanized service lines from the water main to the property line.

2. The private section between the property line and the home, which is usually the responsibility of the homeowner. 

Any galvanized piping inside the home is still the responsibility of the homeowner to replace as desired.

Lead

Infants and children who drink water containing lead could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

Holland BPW is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in household plumbing components. When water has been sitting in your home’s pipes 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 have a lead service line it is recommended that you run your water for at least 5 minutes to flush water from both your home plumbing and the lead service line. 

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 epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Copper

Copper is an essential nutrient. However, drinking water with copper levels higher than the action level in a short amount of time could cause gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water with copper levels higher than the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease or other conditions that limit the body’s ability to remove excess copper should talk to their health care provider.

Quantity of Service Types in 2023

PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called PFCs, are a group of chemicals that are resistant to heat, water, and oil. The U.S. EPA has named PFAS as an emerging contaminant. For decades, PFAS have been used in industrial applications and consumer products and are still used today. Products with PFAS include carpeting, waterproof clothing, upholstery, food paper wrappings, fire-fighting foams, and metal plating. PFAS have also been found at low levels in both the environment and blood samples from the general U.S. population.

These chemicals are persistent, which means they do not break down in the environment. PFAS chemicals also bioaccumulate, meaning the amount of the chemical in a person’s body builds up over time in their blood and organs. 

Why was Holland BPW’s Source Water Tested for PFAS?

Holland BPW follows the EGLE standard compliance monitoring schedule for PFAS Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). In 2020, EGLE developed MCLs for seven PFAS compounds in Michigan. Even before EGLE developed PFAS MCLs, Holland BPW participated in EGLE-coordinated voluntary sampling in 2019. With health and safety at the core of our values, we saw this initiative as a chance to learn about our source water.

How Can PFAS Affect People’s Health?

Although our understanding of these emerging contaminants constantly changes, higher levels of PFAS have the potential to cause negative health effects. These include increased cholesterol, changes in hormones and the immune system, decreased fertility, and increased risk of some cancers. Epidemiological and laboratory studies in animal models support these links to health effects in humans. 

If you are concerned about exposure to PFAS in your drinking water, please contact

• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Toxicology hotline at 800-648-6942

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention/ATSDR at www.cdc.gov/cdc-info or 800-232-4636.

Scientists are still learning about the health effects of exposure to PFAS, including exposure to mixtures.

What Other Ways Could I Be Exposed to PFOA, PFOS and Other PFAS Compounds?

PFAS are used in many consumer products, including:

• Food packaging such as fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags 

• Waterproof and stain-resistant fabrics such as outdoor clothing, upholstery, and carpeting

• Nonstick coatings on cookware

• Cleaning supplies including some soaps and shampoos.

Exposure to PFAS can come from house dust, indoor and outdoor air, food, and drinking water. More research is needed to understand how people can be exposed to PFAS.

Who Can I Call if I Have Questions about PFAS in my Drinking Water?

If any resident has additional questions regarding this issue, the State of Michigan Environmental Assistance Center can be contacted at 800-662-9278.

Where can I Learn More about PFAS?

For information on PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS, including possible health outcomes, you may visit these websites:

• epa.gov/pfas

• atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas

• michigan.gov/pfasresponse

Terms & Abbreviations

Water Quality Data

The tables below list all the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the 2023 calendar year. The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The data presented in this table is from testing done January 1 - December 31, 2023.

Holland Water Treatment Plant Data for 2023 (WSSN 3190)

Regulated at the Water Treatment Plant

Regulated at Customer's Tap - 2022 Results, Not Sampled 2023

Regulated in Distribution System (WSSN 3190)

Unregulated Contaminants

These are contaminates for which the EPA has not established drinking water standards.  The purpose of the unregulated contaminates monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminates in drinking water. Holland BPW performed additional testing for other unregulated contaminants; no detections were found. Results of these tests are available by contacting the Water Treatment Plant at 616-355-1589.

Laketown Township

Distribution System (WSSN 3747)

Regulated at Customer's Tap

Park Township

Regulated in Distribution System (WSSN 5203)

Regulated at Customer's Tap 2022 Results, Not Sampled 2023

Unregulated Contaminants

The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments require that once every five years the EPA must issue a new list of no more than 30 unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems.

The fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 4) was published in the Federal Register on December 20, 2016. UCMR 4 required monitoring for 30 chemical contaminants between 2018 and 2020 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations. This monitoring provides a basis for future regulatory actions to protect public health.

For more information about UCMR4 visit epa.gov/dwucmr/fourth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule.

Water Conservation

Lake Michigan is a precious resource. We share this great resource with plants, animals, fish, and each other. Just as we share in the benefits of this Great Lake, we share in the responsibility of protecting and conserving our water source.

Protecting Our Water Resources

The greatest increase that our water utility sees in demand is the result of lawn irrigation in the summer months. Grass lawns often have shallow roots and need greater amounts of water to keep them from going brown and dormant in the hot summer. One of the best ways to save water and money on your utility bill is to reduce your summer lawn sprinkling.

Holland BPW has worked to reap the benefits of converting traditional lawns to native landscapes at three of our main facilities: the Service Center, Holland Energy Park, and the Water Treatment Plant. Learn more about the benefits of reducing lawn size and how Holland BPW is working reap the benefits of water conservation at our facilities.

Read the Story in Our Annual Report