BPU's "Consumer Confidence Report"

The Hillsdale BPU is committed to providing our customers with quality drinking water on tap. Hillsdale BPU’s water meets state and federal standards for both appearance and safety. This annual “Consumer Confidence Report” required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, informs you where your water comes from and what our tests show about the quality of the water you are drinking. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like copies of this report or the Source Water Assessment, please contact the BPU  at 437-3387 or Bill Briggs at (517) 437-3648. The BPU Board meets at 7:00 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the BPU office at 45 Monroe Street. Please feel free to come and participate

Hillsdale BPU Water Sources and Supply

The Hillsdale BPU’s water supply comes from the Beebe and Bean Creek Watershed located in Fayette and Hillsdale Township. The groundwater from six wells is pumped to a water treatment plant before being stored in two elevated tanks. The BPU has established a Wellhead Protection Program to help protect our drinking water sources well into the future.

The State of Michigan performed an assessment of the BPU’s source water to determine the susceptibility or the relative potential of contamination. The susceptibility rating is on a seven-tiered scale from “very low” to “high” based primarily on geological sensitivity, water chemistry, and contaminate sources. The susceptibility of our ground water wells is moderately high.

Important Health Information

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immuno-compromised persons, such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk of infections.  These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.  The EPA/CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Types of Water Contaminants In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of  certain contaminants in water provided  by public  water systems.  FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection. The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells.  As water travels over the  surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals, and in  some cases,  radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting  from the presence of animals or from human activity.  Contaminants that may be present in source water before we treat it include:                                                                                                                         Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations,  and wildlife;                                                      Inorganic contaminants, such  as salts and metals,  which  can  be  naturally occurring, or result from urban storm water runoff,  industrial  or  domestic wastewater  discharges,  oil/gas production, mining, or farming.

Why are there contaminants in drinking water? Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.  The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.  More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

The Hillsdale BPU is pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets all federal and  state requirements.            

Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a  variety of sources such as  agriculture, urban storm-water  runoff, and residential uses;    Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems; Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally  occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. Lead and CopperIf 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. The Hillsdale BPU is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but 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 drinking water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

For a copy of the annual   “Consumer Confidence Report” click below: