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Important Information About Your Drinking Water

The annual water quality report identifies what your water contains, where it comes from, and how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) standards. In 2021, NBU again surpassed all state and federal standards, receiving a superior water rating by the TCEQ.

New Braunfels Utilities’ water is rated Superior in quality by the TCEQ.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR WATER QUALITY REPORT

Definitions

The NBU Water Quality Report contains many scientific terms and measurements. The definitions below can help explain what they mean.

Action Level — The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

Action Level Goal (ALG) — The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected health risk. Action Level Goals allow for a margin of safety.

Avg — Regulatory compliance with some MCLs are based on a running annual average of monthly samples.

Level 1 Assessment — A Level 1 Assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in the water system.

Level 2 Assessment — A Level 2 Assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in the water system on multiple occasions.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) — The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Maximum Containment Levels are set as close to the MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) — The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. Maximum Containment Level Goals allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) —The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that the addition of a disinfectant is necessary for the control of microbial contaminants.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) —The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goals do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control
microbial contaminants.

MFL — Million Fibers per Liter (a measure of asbestos).

mrem — Millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body).

na — Not applicable.

NTU — Nephelometric Turbidity Units (a measure of turbidity).

pCi/L — Picocuries per Liter (a measure of radioactivity).

ppb — Micrograms per liter or parts per billion – or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water.

ppm — Milligrams per liter or parts per million – or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water.

ppq — Parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter (pg/L).

ppt — Parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter (ng/L).

Treatment Technique or TT — A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.