Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island provides treated drinking water to more than 13,000 residents, employees and visitors each year.

The following water quality information is being provided to you, our consumer, in accordance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, as implemented by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Washington State Department of Health regulations. Throughout 2004, the drinking water distributed throughout the Navy water system has consistently met all federal and state drinking water health standards.

The water system is operated by the base operating services contractor.

The contract is managed by the base Public Works Department. The operation is monitored by the base Environmental Affairs Department to ensure continuous compliance with EPA and DOH regulations. Telephone number for questions is (360) 257-5742.

Your water is monitored daily for chlorine and fluoride treatment levels, monthly for the presence of bacteria, and quarterly for the by-products of chlorination. It is monitored every three years for lead, copper, and asbestos. During the calendar-year covered by this report, there were no elevated levels of these allowable chemicals in your delivered tap water.

The standard sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) across the country include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land and 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 storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining and 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, are the potential by-products of various industrial processes, petroleum storage and handling, gas station operations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.

- Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining operations. (EPA-required language)

In order to ensure your tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water system. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. (EPA)

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791). (EPA)