SMSC Water Quality Report

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The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community developed a Wellhead Protection Plan in 2001 to protect your drinking water. This Plan helps shape Community land use decisions in order to protect your drinking water. The Plan encourages Community enterprises and residents to properly use and dispose of common chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, and household hazardous waste. These chemicals can find their way into drinking water supplies if they are not handled correctly. The Plan also encourages the construction of rain gardens and bio-retention areas using native plantings, which reduces the amount of runoff entering storm water ponds. Storm water ponds can be a significant source of ground water contamination. Learn more at www.shakopeedakota.org/land/waterresources.htm. The installation of underground storage tanks and new private wells are regulated under this Plan, because they make Community public wells more vulnerable to contamination. The Wellhead Protection Plan is undergoing revisions which are expected to be complete by the end of 2007 to reflect recent changes in water and land use. The Plan also includes new scientific data from the Minnesota Geological Survey and the United States Geological Survey. This data is available online at www.shakopeedakota.org/land/gw-reports.htm. The biggest change to the SMSC Wellhead Protection Plan is the size of the Drinking Water Supply Management Areas (DWSMAs). Community water use is increasing, and increased pumping by the Community means that we are pulling water from farther and farther away. It is likely that the Community will eventually need to add a well to its drinking water supply system, which will also increase the size of the DWSMAs. The SMSC takes pride in providing its members, employees, and visitors with a plentiful, safe, and inexpensive supply of water. Community drinking water is monitored much more closely than most bottled water, a fact that this report documents. It is clear that water is a very valuable resource. Community participation in wellhead protection activities (like properly disposing of chemical waste) will protect Community drinking water for the future. If you would like to learn more about these initiatives or the Wellhead Protection Plan, please contact the SMSC Land Department. Ole Olmanson SMSC Wellhead Protection Coordinator 952-233-4238	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 indicate 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 800-426-4791.) 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 land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material. It can also pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, can be naturally occurring or result from storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. Pesticides and herbicides 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 by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems. Radioactive contaminants can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The 2006 test results show there are no contaminants above an EPA established limit in the Community water supply. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
	We encourage you to become more involved in Community water issues. Please feel free to ask questions and present concerns to the SMSC Business Council. We also invite you to call the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Public Works Department for more information at 952-496-6176.
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