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Press Releases |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From: The Office of Mayor John Curran
April 25, 2003
MAYOR JOHN CURRAN RELEASES HORN POND LEAD AND COPPER TEST RESULTS
Mayor John Curran announced the most recent lead and copper test results of the Horn Pond well field. "We have achieved a remarkable purification of our main water source," stated Curran. "In order to really understand the improvement, we must consider where we were four years ago, prior to the treatment facility. In 1996, 19 out of 60 samples tested too high for lead. Only one of 62 samples taken in 2002 exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) lead standards. And that sample rated 15.7 ug/l [micrograms per liter] on a maximum threshold level of 15 ug/l. Our copper levels have reached absolute compliance. Back in 1996, 50% of those samples taken had tested too high."
According to charts created by the City Engineer’s office, the results are staggering. In 1996, 32% percent of Woburn’s overall water samples tested beyond the EPA-approved limits for both lead and copper. This year, only 1.6% of all samples tested out of compliance. City Engineer Jay Corey expects that Woburn will see 100% compliance when it retests this June. "We went from having a 21 micrograms of copper and lead contaminants per liter [in 1996] to just 3.5 micrograms [in 2002]. I expect that within another three months, we will see that 3.5 number reduced as well. More meaningful than numbers, city residents should be assured that their drinking water now meets—and in most cases, exceeds—the EPA lead/copper rules and regulations."
DPW Superintendent Fred Russell, who oversees that treatment plant, said that corrosion control was key. "The facility currently treats more than 3.5 million gallons per day," stated Russell, "with the capacity to treat up to 6 million gallons." "In addition to making the City’s well water less corrosive, the plant also provides disinfection and prevents mineral deposits from building up in distribution pipes. All of this creates a healthier water supply and contributes to a cleaner public works infrastructure."
Mayor Curran invited residents to contact his office if interested in receiving copies of the lead and copper test results, as prepared by the City Engineer. He concluded, "We are monitoring our main water supply source more carefully than ever, and I am confident that this summer, the City will see an even greater return on its investment in the water treatment plant." All of the City’s water test results can also be viewed on the Department of Public Works website at www.woburndpw.com.
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