WATER TESTING MONTH!
- CDC-PHP Media Communications
- 7 days ago
- 1 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Clean Water is the right of all residents of Pembroke Township, including the Village of Hopkins Park. Over 70% rely on shallow wells as their primary source of drinking water. The remaining homes utilize municipal water provided by our joint Pembroke Township and Hopkins Park Village water treatment facility. While both sources of water are safe and extremely clean, from April to June, the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides increases, impacting our shallow well supplies with high Nitrite and Nitrate concentrations. Unfortunately, nitrate levels have been rising, and shallow wells in agricultural areas are especially vulnerable to nitrate contamination. The U.S. EPA sets the drinking water standard at 10 mg/L nitrate-n levels to protect from birth defects, thyroid disease, and certain cancers.
In addition, many older homes are potentially sourced with lead piping. PHP municipal water has also been challenged due to many factors common to low-income communities, where equipment and maintenance are affected. Other concerns with Pembroke’s residential tap water include bacterial contamination and other toxic and harmful contaminants, including those resulting from local EPA Brownfields and Superfund sites within the last few decades.
Please have your water tested!
Saturday, May 31st at OKAN Center
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