City of Herkimer Water Quality Report

DID YOU KNOW water quality reports, also known as “Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs),” are annual documents that all public water systems are required to provide to you via mail and online. These reports are supposed to provide important information about the quality of the drinking water delivered over the previous year.

They can be difficult to read or understand. They are often many pages long and contain complex tables and charts. Culligan Water wants to change this and help you MAKE SENSE OF YOUR WATER.

This easy-to-read report will provide you with the following:

The Village of Herkimer operates a dual-source water system consisting of both surface water and groundwater. Surface water is collected from the Gravesville Reservoir and transported through a 16-inch transmission main to the Herkimer Reservoir before entering a slow sand filtration plant. Following filtration, the water is disinfected, stored in a two-million-gallon concrete storage tank, and distributed throughout the Village.

Groundwater comes from two municipal wells that have been in service since 1995. Depending on seasonal demand and operational needs, well water may be pumped directly into the distribution system or blended with the treated surface water supply. Maintaining two water sources allows the Village to improve system reliability while balancing water chemistry to help meet New York State drinking water requirements.

The Village withdrew approximately 629.9 million gallons of water and delivered 329.7 million gallons to customers throughout the distribution system.

Herkimer’s drinking water begins as surface water collected from the Gravesville Reservoir in the Town of Russia. The reservoir water is treated using slow sand filtration, one of the oldest and most effective filtration methods for removing suspended particles and microbial contaminants. Following filtration, chlorine is added to disinfect the water before it enters the distribution system.

The Village also maintains two groundwater wells that draw from an unconfined aquifer. These wells are blended with surface water throughout much of the year to optimize water quality and assist with controlling disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5).

Although the Village’s source water assessments identified varying levels of susceptibility to naturally occurring contaminants and potential pollution sources, continuous treatment and routine monitoring help maintain compliance with New York State drinking water requirements.

The Village routinely monitors for numerous contaminants throughout the distribution system.

Among the notable results reported were:

While these results remained below regulatory limits, many homeowners choose additional filtration to reduce chlorine taste, disinfection byproducts, and emerging contaminants while improving overall water quality.

Herkimer’s drinking water contains trace amounts of naturally occurring minerals, disinfectants, and treatment byproducts. While testing did not identify elevated levels for most regulated contaminants, many homeowners choose additional water treatment to improve taste, reduce chlorine, and provide added confidence in the quality of their home’s drinking water.

Chlorine plays an important role in protecting public health by disinfecting drinking water. As part of this process, chlorine can react with naturally occurring organic matter to create disinfection byproducts such as Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA5). The Village of Herkimer routinely monitors these compounds to ensure they remain below federal drinking water standards.

In addition to regulated drinking water contaminants, the Village of Herkimer monitors several naturally occurring minerals and emerging contaminants that help provide a more complete picture of the local water supply. While these substances were detected at levels below applicable standards, many homeowners choose additional treatment to improve taste, reduce mineral content, and provide additional peace of mind. New York requires public water systems to monitor certain emerging contaminants that may not be included in every municipal water quality report across the country. One of these compounds is 1,4-Dioxane, a synthetic chemical associated with industrial manufacturing processes and hazardous waste sites.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often referred to as “forever chemicals,” have been detected in water supplies across the state of New York. These man-made compounds are valued for their resistance to heat and oil but are slow to break down in the environment. Recent testing reports from Herkimer do not report on PFAS in their water supply. However, this does not mean there aren’t PFAS contaminants in Hudson drinking water. Learn more about PFAS and how they enter your home’s drinking water.

The Village of Herkimer’s Water Quality Report includes several regulatory notices related to the operation of its drinking water system. These notices involve ongoing improvements to corrosion control for lead and copper, as well as a treatment technique violation associated with surface water treatment requirements.

Although the Village continues working to address these issues and comply with New York State drinking water regulations, many homeowners prefer an added layer of protection by installing home water treatment systems. Solutions such as reverse osmosis drinking water systems, whole-house filtration, and carbon filters can help reduce a variety of contaminants while improving the taste, odor, and overall quality of drinking water.

The report states that the Village remains under a Lead and Copper Rule compliance notice related to corrosion control requirements. Corrosion control helps reduce the potential for lead and copper to leach from older plumbing materials into drinking water, and the Village is continuing work toward full compliance with state requirements.

The report also includes a treatment technique violation related to the surface water treatment process. According to the notice, portions of the water system were required to issue a boil water advisory until corrective actions were completed. The Village continues to work with state regulators to maintain compliance and improve treatment operations.

Herkimer receives drinking water from two sources. Surface water originates from the Gravesville Reservoir in the Town of Russia and is treated through a slow sand filtration system before entering the distribution system. The Village also operates two groundwater wells that supplement the water supply throughout the year.

Yes. Chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water and help protect against harmful bacteria and microorganisms. Some homeowners choose carbon filtration or reverse osmosis systems to reduce chlorine taste and odor.

Yes. The report detected Total Trihalomethanes with a highest reported level of 49.7 ppb. These compounds are formed naturally during the chlorination process.

Haloacetic Acids are another group of disinfection byproducts that form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic material in water. Herkimer reported a highest detected level of 17.6 ppb.

Yes. A trace level of 0.026 µg/L was reported. This remains below New York State’s drinking water standard, but many homeowners choose advanced filtration for additional peace of mind.

Yes. Radium-228 is monitored as part of the Village’s water quality program.

The report includes public notices regarding corrosion control improvements and lead service line requirements. These notices relate to system improvements and regulatory compliance rather than indicating elevated lead levels throughout the water system.

Yes. Many homeowners install water treatment systems to reduce chlorine taste and odor, improve drinking water quality, reduce disinfection byproducts, and address naturally occurring minerals or emerging contaminants identified during water testing.

Reverse osmosis systems are commonly used to reduce a wide variety of contaminants, including nitrate, barium, radium, chlorine byproducts, and certain emerging contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane.

The Village of Herkimer publishes its annual Water Quality Report for residents. You can also contact the Village Water Department directly for additional information about your local drinking water or schedule a free in-home water test with Culligan to better understand your home’s water quality.