Amherst Waterworks, PWS ID: 75000948
Water System Information: If you would like to know more about the information contained in this report, please contact Travis Stuczynski at (715) 824-5613.
Opportunity for input on decisions affecting your water quality: Village Board meetings are held on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month at 6pm at the village hall located at 160 Mill St., Amherst.
Health Information: 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 Environmental Protection Agency’s safe drinking water hotline (800-426-4791).
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 systems disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe drinking water hotline (800-426-4791).
Source(s) of Water
| Source ID | Source | Depth (feet) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Groundwater | 60 | Active |
| 2 | Groundwater | 57 | Active |
| 3 | Groundwater | 140 | Active |
To obtain a summary of the source water assessment, contact Travis Stuczynski at (715) 824-5613.
Educational Information
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 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 stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
- Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater 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 stormwater runoff and septic systems.
- Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which shall provide the same protection for public health.
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AL | Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. |
| HA and HAL | HA: Health Advisory. An estimate of acceptable drinking water levels for a chemical substance based on health effects information. HAL: Health Advisory Level is a concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, poses a health risk and may require a system to post a public notice. Health Advisories are determined by US EPA. |
| HI | HI: Hazard Index: A Hazard Index is used to assess the potential health impacts associated with mixtures of contaminants. Hazard Index guidance for a class of contaminants or mixture of contaminants may be determined by the US EPA or Wisconsin Department of Health Services. If a Health Index is exceeded a system may be required to post a public notice. |
| Level 1 Assessment | A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine, if possible, why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system. |
| Level 2 Assessment | A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine, if possible, why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system, or both, on multiple occasions. |
| MCL | Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. |
| MCLG | Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. |
| MFL | million fibers per liter |
| MRDL | Maximum residual disinfectant level: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. |
| MRDLG | Maximum residual disinfectant level goal: The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. |
| mrem/year | millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body) |
| NTU | Nephelometric Turbidity Units |
| pCi/l | picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) |
| ppm | parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l) |
| ppb | parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (ug/l) |
| ppt | parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter |
| ppq | parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter |
| PHGS | PHGS: Public Health Groundwater Standards are found in NR 140 Groundwater Quality. The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, poses a health risk and may require a system to post a public notice. |
| RPHGS | RPHGS: Recommended Public Health Groundwater Standards: Groundwater standards proposed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, poses a health risk and may require a system to post a public notice. |
| SMCL | Secondary drinking water standards or Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels for contaminants that affect taste, odor, or appearance of the drinking water. The SMCLs do not represent health standards. |
| TCR | Total Coliform Rule |
| TT | Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. |
Detected Contaminants
Your water was tested for many contaminants last year. We are allowed to monitor for some contaminants less frequently than once a year. The following tables list only those contaminants which were detected in your water. If a contaminant was detected last year, it will appear in the following tables without a sample date. If the contaminant was not monitored last year, but was detected within the last 5 years, it will appear in the tables below along with the sample date.
Disinfection Byproducts
| Contaminant (units) | Site | MCL | MCLG | Level Found | Range | Sample Date (if prior to 2025) | Violation | Typical Source of Contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTHM (ppb) | FAMILY FOODS | 80 | 0 | 5.4 | 5.4 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination | |
| HAA5 (ppb) | JENSEN CENTER | 60 | 60 | 1 | 1 | No | By-product of drinking water chlorination |
Inorganic Contaminants
| Contaminant (units) | Site | MCL | MCLG | Level Found | Range | Sample Date (if prior to 2025) | Violation | Typical Source of Contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARIUM (ppm) | 2 | 2 | 0.130 | 0.023 – 0.130 | 3/21/2023 | No | Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits | |
| FLUORIDE (ppm) | 4 | 4 | 0.3 | 0.2 – 0.3 | 3/21/2023 | No | Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories | |
| NICKEL (ppb) | 100 | 1.0000 | 0.0000 – 1.0000 | 3/21/2023 | No | Nickel occurs naturally in soils, ground water and surface waters and is often used in electroplating, stainless steel and alloy products. | ||
| NITRATE (N03-N) (ppm) | 10 | 10 | 5.39 | 0.00 – 6.91 | No | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits | ||
| NITRITE (N02-N) (ppm) | 1 | 1 | 0.110 | 0.080 – 0.110 | 3/21/2023 | No | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits | |
| SODIUM (ppm) | n/a | n/a | 12.06 | 6.00 – 12.06 | 3/21/2023 | No | n/a |
| Contaminant (units) | Action Level | MCLG | 90th Percentile Level Found | Range | # of Results | Sample Date (if prior to 2025) | Violation | Typical Source of Contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COPPER (ppm) | AL=1.3 | 1.3 | 0.3800 | 0.0230 – 0.6900 | 0 of 10 results were above the action level. | 7/12/2023 | No | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives |
| LEAD (ppb) | AL=15 | 0 | 6.00 | 0.51 – 110.00 | 1 of 10 results were above the action level. | 7/12/2023 | No | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits |
PFAS Contaminants with a Recommended Health Advisory Level:
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of human-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950. The following table list PFAS contaminants which were detected in your water and that have a Recommended Public Health Groundwater Standard (RPHGS) or Health Advisory Level (HAL). There are no violations for detections of contaminants that exceed the RPHGS or HAL. The RPHGS are levels at which concentrations of the contaminant present a health risk and are based on guidance provided by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Note: The recommended health-based levels in the table below were in effect in 2024. These levels were revised by WDHS in 2025. They can be found here https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/water/gws.htm.
| Typical Source of Contaminant | Drinking water is one way that people can be exposed to PFAS. In Wisconsin, two-thirds of people use groundwater as their drinking water source. PFAS can get in groundwater from places that make or use PFAS and release from consumer products in landfills. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant (units) | Site | RPHGS or HAL (PPT) | Level Found | Range | Sample Date (if prior to 2025) |
| PFBS (ppt) | 450000 | 0.43 | 0.00 – 0.43 | 5/9/2023 | |
| PFOS (ppt) | 20 | 0.92 | 0.00 – 0.92 | 5/9/2023 | |
| PFOA AND PFOS TOTAL (ppt) | 20 | 0.92 | 0.00 – 0.92 | 5/9/2023 | |
Synthetic Organic Contaminants including Pesticides and Herbicides
| Contaminant (units) | Site | MCL | MCLG | Level Found | Range | Sample Date (if prior to 2025) | Violation | Typical Source of Contaminant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATRAZINE (ppb) | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 – 0.0 | 3/22/2023 | No | Runoff from herbicide used on row crops |
Additional Health Information
Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than 6 months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant you should ask advice from your health care provider. Females who are or may become pregnant should not consume water with nitrate concentrations that exceed 10 ppm. There is some evidence of an association between exposure to high nitrate levels in drinking water during the first weeks of pregnancy and certain birth defects. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends people of all ages avoid long-term consumption of water that has nitrate level greater than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L).
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. Amherst Waterworks is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact Amherst Waterworks (Travis Stuczynski at (715) 824-5613). Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Additional Information on Service Line Materials
We developed an inventory of service lines connected to our distribution system. You can access the inventory by calling the village hall at 715-824-5613.