2019 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

What is the source of our water?

In the United States, drinking water sources include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and groundwater. Lincoln’s water source is groundwater that is naturally high in quality. It comes from wells along the Platte River near Ashland. Approximately one-half of the supply is groundwater and approximately one-half is groundwater under the direct influence of surface water. In 2019, more than 11.6 billion gallons of water were pumped from these wells to serve the 287,401 people who use an average of about 31.9 million gallons of water each day.

A source water assessment of our water supply has been completed by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ). The assessment includes maps, an inventory of potential contaminant sources and a determination of the vulnerability of the system to contamination. If you have any questions or would like to view the source water assessment, call John Keith, 402-441-1622, to schedule an appointment.

As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, naturally occurring minerals dissolve, and the water can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animal or human activities. Factors that can impact the quality of our source water include microbial contaminants, organic or inorganic contaminants, and even pesticides, herbicides and radioactive contaminants. To ensure that tap water is safe, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Safe Drinking Water standards limit the amount of contaminants in the water supplied to customers. Following the treatment process, Lincoln’s drinking water continues to meet all of these standards. Lincoln’s water does contain small amounts of atrazine, trihalomethanes and arsenic but these levels remain below USEPA Safe Drinking Water standards.

Atrazine is a herbicide used by farmers to kill weeds in corn and grain sorghum. Atrazine is applied to the fields at planting time. When it rains, atrazine is washed from fields and enters streams and rivers.

Trihalomethanes include four chemicals formed when chlorine, which is added to the water to limit microbial growth, reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in the water. The maximum level allowed is 80 parts per billion should be noted that any harmful health effects caused by disinfection byproducts are small compared with the health risks associated with inadequate disinfection.

Arsenic, a naturally occurring element associated with soil and rock, is also detected in Lincoln’s drinking water and remains below USEPA limits. The Safe Drinking Water standard (MCL) for arsenic is 10 ppb. While Lincoln’s drinking water meets USEPA’s standard, it does contain between 6.1 ppb and 6.2 ppb arsenic based on testing performed in 2019. USEPA’s standard balances arsenic’s possible health effects against the cost of removing it from drinking water. USEPA continues to research the health effects. At concentrations much higher than regulatory levels, arsenic is known to cause some types of cancer and other health problems. Lincoln Water System continues to evaluate options for future treatment and removal of arsenic as regulations require.

How is our water treated?

Thanks to the natural filtration of groundwater, nature has already done much of the work in enhancing the quality of Lincoln’s water. Lincoln’s source water still contains iron and manganese, which can stain clothing and plumbing fixtures if left untreated. To remove these unwanted elements, water is pumped to the water treatment plants. The water flows through one of two processes before it is distributed to your home or business.

The oldest process, highly effective since the 1930s, uses aeration, chlorination, detention and filtration. An exact amount of chlorine is added to the water in a large underground reservoir. The water is held in the reservoir for up to two hours. The iron and manganese form particles which are then trapped in the sand and gravel filters. The filters are cleaned every 120 hours using a process called backwashing.

The second process uses ozone technology. Ozone, an extremely strong oxidizer and disinfectant, reacts quickly with iron and manganese to form particles which are then removed in the filtration process.

The next step is vital to protecting the health of our community. Once the water passes through the filters, small but exact amounts of chlorine and ammonia are added. These chemicals combine to form a disinfectant called “chloramine,” which limits the growth of bacteria in the City’s water distribution pipes. Finally, fluoride is added to help prevent tooth decay.

Conserve

Reduce Outdoor Water Use

The last time Lincoln had mandatory water restrictions caused by drought conditions was during the summer of 2012. Since that time, the City has revised its Water Management Plan to simplify watering restrictions. One important change was placing all multi-family, commercial, industrial and governmental properties, street medians and single-family properties with a common irrigation system on a set schedule regardless of address. Designated watering days for these properties are on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Single-family properties and duplexes will be on the designated day schedule shown below based on even/odd numbered addresses.

Designated Day Outdoor Watering Schedule

Property Type	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
Multi-family, commercial, industrial, governmental, institutional properties, street medians and single family properties (townhome developments) with a common irrigation system. All addresses.	Sunday •		Tuesday •			Friday
Single-family properties and duplexes with even-numbered addresses (ending in 0,2,4,6 or 8)	Sunday •			Wednesday •		Friday
Single-family properties and duplexes with oddnumbered addresses (ending in 1,3,5,7 or 9)			Tuesday •		Thursday •		Saturday

On warm summer days, several million gallons of treated drinking water are used to irrigate lawns in Lincoln. Customers are reminded that the designated three-day watering schedule is available to provide flexibility when watering. The schedule is not meant to suggest that lawns be watered all three days. Rather, property owners should consider using only minimal amounts of water to maintain landscapes, and restrict weekly watering to one or two days, if possible.

The Water Management Plan allows occasional outdoor watering at any time using an attended, handheld hose. This provides for watering of landscape materials, container plantings and bird baths without risk of ticketing during mandatory restrictions.

For additional information regarding the Water Management Plan and other helpful tips on water conservation, please visit water.lincoln.ne.gov, or contact the Water Management Hotline at 402-441-1212.

Water Management Plan

Conservation Tips

2019 – The Year of Historic Flooding

Historic flooding occurred in March 2019 across much of eastern Nebraska, resulting from heavy rain, snowmelt and ice jam break-ups. Images of the Platte River flooding revealed how Lincoln’s well fields in Ashland were threatened by this historic event. Flood conditions resulted in power outages in and around our well fields and a temporary loss of water production capacity.

Water safety was never compromised throughout the event; however, there was widespread damage to our well fields and access roads. Through good planning, preparation, and response actions, Lincoln Water System provided continuous and safe water supply to Lincoln during this event. Reduced water supply did require Lincoln to implement mandatory water restrictions.

After the Flood

Cross-Connection Prevention

How can residents help protect our water?

You, our customers, also play an important role in protecting Lincoln’s drinking water. One way to help is by preventing “cross connections”, any connection between the drinking water supply and a source of possible contamination or pollution. Cross connections are controlled either by eliminating them or installing approved backflow prevention devices that stop contaminates from flowing back into the drinking water supply.

Contaminants and pollutants can enter the drinking water supply when there is a sudden loss of pressure from heavy usage or a fire in the area of a broken water main. When that happens, contaminated water could be siphoned through the plumbing system into the public water mains. These pressure drops occur somewhere in the City almost every day. Backflow prevention devices are important in preventing contaminants from entering the water supply in these situations.

Every five years, property owners and tenants are required by Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations to inspect their plumbing systems and report any suspected or potential cross connections to Lincoln Water System. Residential and commercial customers are notified when a “premise survey” is required. These surveys must be completed and sent back to Lincoln Water System. All cross connections to the public water supply must be protected with a suitable backflow prevention device.

Property owners and tenants have the responsibility to identify if any cross connections exist on their property and to ensure they are properly protected with an approved backflow prevention device. Property owners and tenants must have these devices tested annually to ensure proper, continuous operation. A list of registered testers can be obtained from Lincoln Water System by calling 402-441-5912. The cost of the test is the responsibility of the owner. For more information on the cross connection program, visit the City’s website at water.lincoln.ne.gov.

Cross Connection Control Program

Lawn Irrigation Systems

The Lincoln Plumbing Code requires a backflow device on lawn irrigation systems. Backflow devices on lawn irrigation systems are exempt from annual testing. However, to ensure proper operation and to protect against contamination of the interior plumbing system, it is recommended these devices are also inspected and tested at regular intervals. Contact your local irrigation system contractor or plumbing contractor for additional information.

Lincoln Water System is a proud member of AWWA

Lead And Copper

Lincoln’s drinking water does not contain detectable levels of lead and copper in its source water or after treatment. However, the presence of lead and copper used in plumbing systems can introduce detectable levels of these contaminants into the drinking water at individual homes or businesses. Water testing conducted by Lincoln Water System has found detectable levels of lead and copper in homes built before 1988. These homes are more likely to have pipes, fixtures, and solder that contain lead. In Nebraska, plumbing materials containing high concentrations of lead were banned in 1987. Homes built before 1950 may have a portion of the water service actually constructed using lead pipes, and these homes may have higher levels of lead in their drinking water.

Safe drinking water properties vary across the country depending on the water source. Lincoln’s drinking water chemistry does not promote excessive lead and copper leaching from plumbing systems. As a result, Lincoln Water System remains in compliance with USEPA requirements for lead and copper.

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Lead and copper sampling is performed by Lincoln Water System every three years as required by the USEPA Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The collective test results for the 66 samples collected in 2019 were below the USEPA action level of 15 parts per billion lead and 1,300 parts per billion copper. The statistical analysis of the test results continues to show Lincoln’s drinking water remains in compliance with USEPA requirements for lead and copper.

If present, elevated levels of lead and copper can cause serious health problems, especially for infants, young children and pregnant women. Lead and copper in drinking water comes primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Other sources of lead exposure can be lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Lincoln Water System is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in household and business plumbing components. When the water in your pipes has been sitting for several hours, USEPA recommends minimizing the potential for lead exposure by flushing your cold water tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using the cold water for drinking or cooking. Because private plumbing system construction varies, Lincoln Water System recommends flushing for at least five minutes in homes constructed prior to 1950. Consider filling a water pitcher for drinking water to avoid repeated flushing.

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 these sources:

• USEPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.
• USEPA website at epa.gov/safewater/lead.
• Department of Health and Human Services / Division of Public Health / Office of Drinking Water at 402-471-2541.
• The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department at 402-441-8000.

Do I have a lead service line?

The water service line is the pipe that is owned by the property owner which connects their home to the public water main. Using existing records, LWS has identified approximately 4,000 privately owned water service lines that may contain lead. In some cases, records have limited or missing information that make it difficult to determine the exact material used in the installation of the service line.

Customers should also be aware that lead-containing materials can be found in other locations of the home plumbing constructed before 2014 when lead-containing materials were banned from use.

Hire a Plumber

We recommend you use an experienced, certified plumber to assist in reviewing your service line record and in identifying lead-containing materials in your plumbing system, fittings, fixtures, or other potential sources of lead.

Access our records

You can view information on your water service line by accessing records online. Knowing this information can be helpful in determining the risk of your service line contributing to lead in your water.

Access our tap record interactive map at lincoln.ne.gov/aspx/both/gis/tap/default.aspx or at lincoln.ne.gov (search: tap). The database is searchable by address, owner, parcel number, or by clicking on a property on the map. If there are records associated with the selected address, they will appear under the heading “TAP Images”. Click on all the records labeled “Water” to see the images of our records. Please feel free to call Lincoln Water System at 402-441-7571 for help interpreting these records. It is important to look over all the records listed as many older service lines have been partially or fully replaced and will have additional records indicating this. If the supply line was replaced, you should see the words “old tap abandoned” and/or “replacement tap”. Please be aware these records may not be complete, may have missing information, or may not have been updated if the property owner had work performed and it was not reported to Lincoln Water System.

You can also call Lincoln Water System at 402-441-7571 for information about your service line.