Come on in, water’s fine

By Mikael Kenoyer

Good news for Blaine and Birch Bay residents: it’s not something in the water. The city’s 2001 annual drinking water quality report came back clean. Of the 22 microbiological and inorganic compounds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires water systems to monitor, city water tested well within acceptable levels.

Of special concern to the EPA are lead, copper, and arsenic. Blaine’s water contains a little more than half the maximum acceptable level of any of these. Maximum contaminant levels are set so strictly that a person would need to drink two liters of water a day for their entire lives to have a one-in-a-million chance of developing a health condition due to water contaminants.

Blaine’s water is moderately hard, which public works director Grant Stewart said was common in deep ground water. Residents may have to use a little more soap but they get a clean consistent water supply in exchange. “Our water quality is the same as ever,” Stewart said.

The public is invited to learn more about their water by attending meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. in City Hall, or by calling Leroy Dougall at 332-8820. .

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