IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Este aviso contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable, por favor lea el aviso en español si va aquí incluido. Si el aviso en español no va incluido aquí, contacte al sistema de agua para pedir una copia.

DRINKING WATER WARNING

Chemeketa Park MWC water has detected elevated levels of lead in the water system.

Chemeketa Park MWC found elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some homes and/or buildings. Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Please read this information closely to see what you can do to reduce lead in your drinking water.

Between 9/2025 and 10/2025, we collected 5 samples and analyzed them for lead. The results of more than 10 percent of the samples exceeded the lead action level. The lead action level is 0.015 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or 15 micrograms per liter (µg/L).

This notice is provided out of an abundance of caution. Chemeketa Park MWC had one sample location exceed the lead action level. We are resampling the sample location and will notify you of the result when it is received.

This does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from Chemeketa Park MWC has lead in its drinking water. It means that your drinking water has the potential to release lead if your service line or home plumbing contain lead components. It also means that you should understand how to reduce your exposure to lead through drinking water. Keep in mind that drinking water is not the only potential source of lead exposure, since lead can be found in air, soil, and paint. For more information on all sources of lead, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead.

What is an Action Level?

The lead action level is a measure of the effectiveness of the corrosion control treatment in water systems. The action level is not a standard for establishing a safe level of lead in a home. To check if corrosion control is working, EPA requires water systems to test for lead at the tap in certain homes, including those with lead service lines. Systems compare sample results from homes to EPA’s action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 µg/L). If 10 percent of the samples from these homes have water concentrations that are greater than the action level, then the system must perform actions such as public education, adjusting treatment, and replacing lead service line.

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Health Effects of Lead

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.

Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Your Water

Below are recommended actions that you may take, separately or in combination, if you are concerned about lead in your drinking water. The list also includes where you may find more information and is not intended to be a complete list or to imply that all actions equally reduce lead from drinking water.

  • AVOID CONSUMING YOUR TAP WATER IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR A CHILD. Water, juice, and formula for infants, children should be prepared with bottled water or filtered water using an NSF approved filter.
  • If you choose to use your tap water:

    • Use cold water. Do not use hot water from the tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula as lead dissolves more easily into hot water. Boiling water does not remove lead from water.

    • Flush. Let the water run from the tap before it is used for drinking or cooking if the faucet has gone unused for a few hours. Flushing the tap means running the cold-water faucet for 30 to 60 seconds.

    • If you have received a separate notice that the pipe that connects your home, building, or other structure to the water main was identified as a lead service line or galvanized requiring replacement service line or a service line made of unknown material, consider flushing your faucet (running water without consuming it) for a longer period of time. Lead from the service line may be released in the water when you are not using water in your home. Water that has been sitting in your home’s pipes may contain lead from your service line. To avoid wasting water when flushing your faucets, use this water for your other household activities such as flushing toilets, taking a shower, doing laundry, or running the dishwasher.

Read the directions to learn how to properly install and use the POU and when to replace it.

  • Avoid using a filter cartridge after it has expired because it can become less effective at removing lead.
  • Do not run hot water through the filter.

    • Clean your aerator. Clean your faucet’s screen (also known as an aerator) regularly. Sediment, debris, and lead particles can collect in the aerator. If lead particles are caught in the aerator, lead can be released into your water.

    • Have your water tested. If you have concerns about your water quality, the State Water Board’s Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program has a map of laboratories that can test your water at the consumer’s expense, which can be found at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/labs/

    • Look for alternative water sources or treatment of water.

    • If you and your family have other health issues concerning the consumption of this water:

      • You may wish to consult your doctor and/or your child’s doctor
      • You may share a copy of this notice with them
      • You may wish to ask for your child to be given a blood lead test

What happened?

On 9/24/2025 one of the 5 addresses tested for lead and copper exceeded the lead action level. We are currently retesting the site and will update the community with results.

Between 9/2025 and 10/2025, we collected 5 samples and analyzed them for lead. The results of more than 10 percent of our samples exceeded the action level for lead.

Chemeketa Park MWC is focused on protecting the health of every household in our community; however, lead from service lines and lead plumbing and fixtures can dissolve or break off into water and end up at the faucet. This does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from Chemeketa Park MWC has lead in the drinking water. It does mean that you should understand how to reduce your exposure to lead through water. Keep in mind that drinking water is not the only potential source of lead exposure, since lead can be found in air, soil, and paint. For more information on all sources of lead, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead.

What is being done?

Chemeketa Park MWC balances water chemistry at the treatment plant to minimize pipe and plumbing components from corroding and leading to the possibility of lead dissolving into water. This process is known as corrosion control. We are completing an assessment of the corrosion control treatment currently used by our water system.

We are working to determine which corrosion control treatment strategy would be most effective in addressing this situation.

Furthermore, we may remove service lines that can release lead, which includes lead service lines and galvanized requiring replacement service lines.

We also plan to take the following steps:

      • We are conducting additional lead and/or water quality monitoring of our water system supply.
      • We are increasing our lead monitoring to determine the extent of the situation.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this public notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by Chemeketa Park MWC.

State Water System ID#: 250926 . Date distributed: 11/19/2025 .