Water safety issue still raises questions

By John A. Williams

Published: May 10, 2008

EDMOND — Even with the city's assurances that Edmond drinking water is safe, residents still have questions after receiving a notice of a violation of certain chemical levels in the water.

A letter received at many homes this week stated the state Department of Environmental Quality reported samples taken in 2006 showed one city well exceeded maximum levels of selenium and five had too much arsenic.

"Arsenic and selenium are natural elements present in groundwater,” said Fred Rice, Edmond Water Resources superintendent. "There was never any danger to our residents.”

Rice said, in issuing the notice to residents, the city was complying with federal guidelines that require public notification any time a sample is taken that is not within contaminant guidelines.

"Our staff performs over 70,000 compliance and process control tests each year to help ensure the water's quality,” he said.

Rice said the selenium violation was from a single sample taken from one of the city's 54 wells in June 2006. The arsenic violations occurred in 2006 at wells producing less than 4 percent of Edmond's water supply.

"We received the arsenic violation in November 2007 and we responded within 30 days to the Department of Environmental Quality,” Rice said. "But we thought there was some question if a public notice was needed at that time.”

He said his department was notified April 4 of the selenium violation and the letter was sent to residents within 30 days. Rice said he did not know why it took the Department of Environmental Quality so long to notify the city.

Skylar McElhaney, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Quality, did not have a ready answer either. She said federal drinking water standards only require Edmond to test once every nine years for arsenic and selenium.

"If they exceed the maximum contaminant levels, they have to go to a quarterly sampling,” she said.

But some residents have questioned the gap in time between the discovery of the violations and the public notice.

McElhaney said when water is tested and the analysis is completed, the results of the samples go back to the facility from where it was taken.

McElhaney said even if a single sample exceeds acceptable levels, violations might not occur because it has to be based on the results of a running annual average.

"One quarter might be high but the other three may not be as high,” she said. "That does not mean there is a violation.”

From the time they were notified of a violation, Rice said, his office was working closely with the state agency.

Because Edmond's water supply comes from two sour ces, Lake Arcadia and a system of wells, Rice said it was unlikely residents were exposed to harm.

"No one receives water directly from one well,” Rice said. "Our water is blended from a number of wells or from the water treatment plant. In some summer months we might even buy water from Oklahoma City.”

McElhaney said, "It would take drinking a two-liter bottle of this type of contaminated water every day for 70 years to feel any health problems.”

All levels of arsenic and selenium are in compliance with federal standards, and Rice wants residents to know his office remains open and transparent anytime there is a problem with water.

A list of frequently asked questions can be found on the city's Web site at www. edmondok.com.

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