We're pleased to present our Twelfth Annual Drinking Water Quality Report to you covering JANUARY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2009. The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that Utilities issue an annual Consumer Confidence Report besides other notices that may be required by law. We designed this report to inform you about the quality of our water and services we deliver to you every day.

The Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority is committed to delivering a safe and reliable supply of drinking water to the 28,915 residents of Monroe Township that the Authority serves. Informed customers are the best allies in maintaining safe drinking water. The Authority is pleased to report that water delivered by our Utility meets or surpasses all federal and state drinking water standards.

We believe in education and our employees attend various classes and seminars on water treatment processes and distribution system operations. The Authority’s Superintendent holds the top grade of New Jersey water treatment and water distribution licenses.

During the year, we performed approximately 6,000 tests on about 700 water samples. The data presented in this report is the same data collected to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection monitoring and testing requirements.

Water Source

The Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority water supply is from ground water. We have seven wells, six draw water from the Cohansey Aquifer and one from the Piney Point Aquifer. These wells range in depth from 143 feet to 355 feet. The Authority has developed two Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells in the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy (P.R.M.) Aquifer. This will allow us to pump system water down into the aquifer in the winter to be recovered in the summer when water demands are much higher. Also we purchase 15.25 million gallons of water per month from New Jersey American Water.

We have four interconnections in our water distribution system, two with the Borough of Clayton and one each with Glassboro and Washington Township. This enables us in the event of an emergency to obtain water through the interconnections and/or supply water to these communities.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) http://www.state.nj.us/dep/swap has completed and issued the Source Water Assessment Report and Summary for the public water system, which is available at www.state.nj.us/dep/swap/ or by contacting the NJDEP, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water at 609-292-5550.

Table 9: Susceptibility Rating for Drinking Water Source(s)

			Contaminant Category
			Rating	Rating	Rating	Rating	Rating	Rating	Rating	Rating
02	005	WELL 5 / WATER STREET	L	H	M	H	H	H	M	M
03	007	WELL 6 / LAKE AVENUE	L	H	M	H	M	H	M	M
04	011	WELL 7 / CORKERY LANE	L	H	M	H	M	H	M	M
04	022	ASR WELL #11, CORKERY LANE	L	L	L	L	M	M	L	M
05	015	WELL 8	M	H	L	H	M	H	M	M
05	024	ASR WELL #14, RT 42 BHP	L	L	L	L	M	M	L	M
08	019	WELL 9 / TUCKAHOE RD	L	H	M	H	L	H	M	M
08	020	WELL 10 / TUCKAHOE RD	L	H	M	H	L	H	M	M

If a system is rated highly susceptible for a contamination category, it does not mean a customer is or will be consuming contaminated drinking water. The rating reflects the potential for contamination of source water, not the existence of contamination. Public water systems are required to monitor for regulated contaminants and to install treatment if any contaminants are detected at frequencies and concentrations above allowable levels.

An Explanation of the Water Quality Data Table

The chart below provides representative analytical results of water samples routinely collected in 2009 from the Authority’s system. In the table that follows, you will find terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. To help you better understand these terms, we’ve provided the following definitions:

90th Percentile - the ninth highest reading (of ten samples), which is used to determine compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule.

Non-Detects (ND) - laboratory analysis indicates that contaminant is not present.

Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

Treatment Technique (TT) - (mandatory language) A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Maximum Contaminant Level - (mandatory language) The "Maximum Allowed" (MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - (mandatory language) The "Goal" (MCLG) is 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.

Monitoring Requirements Not Met for the Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority

Our water system violated drinking water requirements over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.

We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During the first quarter (January thru March) of 2009 we did not test for Gross Alpha at Well #12 located on Coles Mill Road and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of your drinking water during that time.

What should I do?

There is nothing you need to do at this time.

The table below lists the contaminant we did not properly test for during the last year, how often we are supposed to sample for Gross Alpha, how many samples we are supposed to take, how many samples we took, when samples should have been taken, and on the date on which follow-up samples were taken.

Contaminant	Required sampling frequency	Number of samples taken	When samples should have been taken	When samples were taken
Gross Alpha	4 Consecutive Quarterly Samples	3 Consecutive Quarterly Samples	1st Quarter	1st Quarter of 2010

What is being done?

The Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority was required to take four (4) consecutive quarterly samples (January thru March), (April thru June), (July thru Sept.), (Oct. thru Dec.) for Gross Alpha at Well #12 located on Coles Mill Road. The first quarter (January thru March) sample was not taken, instead the first quarter of 2010 was taken for Gross Alpha to complete the four (4) required consecutive samples. Please note that all four (4) quarter samples met the health standards for Gross Alpha.

For more information, please contact George P. Cossabone, Sr. at 856-629-7586.

Health Effects of Detected Contaminants

Combined Radium - Some people who drink water containing radium 226 or 228 in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Copper - Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor.

Lead - If 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 Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority 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 water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Mercury - Some people who drink water containing inorganic mercury well in excess of MCL over many years could experience kidney damage.

Nitrate - Infants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and if untreated may die. Symptoms include shortness of breathe and blue baby syndrome.

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether - Some people who drink water containing MTBE in excess of the MCL for many years could experience problems with their kidneys.

Tetrachloroethene - Some people who drink water containing Tetrachloroethene in excess of the MCL over many years could have problems with their liver, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Variances/Exemptions

The New Jersey Division of Environmental Protection gave the water system a waiver for exemption from monitoring for Synthetic Organic Compounds (SOCs). SOCs include substances like pesticides, herbicides and plasticizers.

The Monroe Municipal Utilities Authority has been permitted to go to reduced monitoring under the lead and copper rule as a result of successful corrosion control efforts.

Special Considerations regarding Children, Pregnant Women, Nursing Mothers and Others

Children may receive a slightly higher amount of a contaminant present in the water than do adults, on a body weight basis, because they may drink a greater amount of water per pound of body weight than do adults. For this reason, reproductive or developmental effects are used for calculating a drinking water standard if these effects occur at lower levels than other health effects of concern. If there is insufficient toxicity information for a chemical (for example, lack of data on reproductive or developmental effects), an extra uncertainty factor may be incorporated into the calculation of the drinking water standard, thus making the standard more stringent, to account for additional uncertainties regarding these effects. In the cases of lead and nitrate, effects on infants and children are the health endpoints upon which the standards are based.

Nitrate: Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six 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 for advice from your health care provider.

Lead: Infants and your children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home water, you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using tap water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Miscellaneous 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 sometimes, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes limits on the amounts of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled 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 show that the 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 at (1-800-426-4791).

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 storm water 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 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 be the results of oil and gas production and mining activities.

If you have any questions about this document or concerning our water utility, please contact our Superintendent, Mr. George P. Cossabone, Sr. at 856-629-7586, between the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday thru Friday. Additionally, you may contact us through our Web Page, www.monroemuanj.com, or attend one of our regularly scheduled Board meetings.