饮用水
Private drinking water systems
Several thousand homes in 365买球app下载 rely on private drinking water systems. 的 large majority of 365买球app下载 private water supplies come from groundwater wells; however, some homeowners also rely on springs or water hauled from other 位置 for delivery to a cistern. Private water systems in Colorado are not regulated for safety or water quality. 因此, owners of private water systems are responsible for taking special precautions to ensure protection and safety of their drinking water supplies.
Potential contaminants
Contamination of private water systems can occur naturally or as a result of human activity. Contaminants typically fall into several key categories including microorganisms, 放射性核素, organic and inorganic chemicals, and heavy metals. Many of these are found in ground and surface water in levels that are not harmful to human health. 的 only way to know the quality and safety of a private water supply is to have it regularly tested.
Reducing risks to groundwater supplies
的re are four keys to preventing risk of contaminating a private water system:
- Proper well/water source location and construction
- Regular water system maintenance
- Water testing and treatment
- Groundwater protection
的 resource links in the right hand column of this page provide a number of very good information sources regarding private water systems.
Numerous water quality testing labs are located in Colorado. 的 Mesa County Regional Laboratory can only test for coliform bacteria, which is typically an adequate measure for real estate transactions. 联系 Colorado Department of 公共卫生 and Environment: Laboratory Services Division (CDPHE) for a greater breadth of chemical analysis such as heavy metals, 放射性核素, organic and inorganic compounds. 另外, a courier service for shipping samples to the CDPHE laboratory can be arranged by contacting 365买球app下载 公共卫生.
Public drinking water systems
Many of our municipal drinking water systems depend almost entirely on surface water for their supply. CDPHE 调节 public drinking water systems in 365买球app下载. Colorado has established standards for public drinking water quality and rules that require regular sampling of water and public reporting of both violations of standards and Consumer Confidence 报告.
In an effort to provide many of our local public water system operators with tools to reduce the risk of water supply contamination, 365买球app下载 公共卫生 is working with the Colorado Rural Water Association and local stakeholders to develop a number of Source Water Assessment and Protection Plans. 的se plans can cover areas that range in size from small homeowners associations to larger municipalities. A steering committee for a Source Water Protection Plan will delineate source water protection areas, identify potential sources of contamination and develop a plan that works to reduce risks of potential contamination. Implementation of the plan is monitored long-term for its effectiveness and is updated accordingly.