HAA5 FAQs
HAA5 Information and Frequently Asked Questions:
In December 2023, BJWSA was notified by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Control (DHEC) that routine water samples collected during the third and fourth quarters measuring disinfection byproducts (DBPs) violated a standard. As a result, BJWSA is distributing a public notice, as required by DHEC, to properties we serve located south of the Broad River.
This is not an emergency, but you have the right to know what happened and what we are doing to prevent the situation from reoccurring.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for the presence of DBPs on a quarterly basis. The DBPs test result average for the last four (4) quarters ending on December 31, 2023, show that our system exceeded a standard, or a maximum contaminant level (MCL), for haloacetic acids (HAA5). The MCL for HAA5 is calculated based on locational running annual averages (LRAA) of samples collected from the last four (4) quarters. The LRAA of HAA5 at Rose Dhu Creek sample site, located on Plantation Drive, was 0.061 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for the third quarter monitoring period for July‐September 2023 and the LRAA of HAA5 at Rose Dhu Creek sample site, located on Plantation Drive, was 0.069 mg/L for the fourth quarter monitoring period of October‐December 2023. Both of these values exceed the MCL of HAA5 of 0.060 mg/L.
Below are some FAQs about this incident:
April 2, 2024
Last December, BJWSA notified customers located south of the Broad River area that our Local Running Annual Average (LRAA) had exceeded the USEPA’s limit of .060 mg/L for the third and fourth quarters of 2023 at the Rose Dhu Creek sample site for a group of disinfection byproducts collectively called HAA5.
In response to this exceedance, our staff made treatment modifications and increased monitoring test frequency. The treatment changes have helped to reduce HAA5 levels. However, the new LRAA is only calculated at the end of each quarter. As we reach the end of the first quarter of 2024, our LRAA for HAA5 has been recalculated and is below the allowable limit.
We will continue to monitor this very closely as well as work with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Customers can find more information on this page. They can also contact us with questions at our call center, 843.987.9200 or review our annual Consumer Confidence Report at https://www.bjwsa.org/226/Water-Wastewater-Quality-Reports.
HAA5 is a group of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) made up of five haloacetic acids.
HAA5 forms from the reaction between naturally occurring materials in our raw (untreated) water from the Savannah River and our disinfection process, which includes chlorine.
The amount of HAA5 formed can change from day to day, depending on a variety of factors such as the season, water temperature and river conditions.
DHEC tests drinking water for the presence of DBPs, including HAA5, on a quarterly basis. BJWSA conducts supplemental DPB samples for regular routine monitoring.
If the average for the last four quarterly tests is above 0.060mg/L water systems are required to notify customers who received the water.
Two recent quarterly testing periods pushed our average above 0.060mg/L.
HAA5 forms when disinfectants react with natural organic material in the water. However, some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
In an effort to reduce the appearance of water discoloration caused by manganese in our distribution system, we increased the amount of chlorine applied at a point in the water treatment process at the Purrysburg plant. We believe this increase contributed to elevated HAA5 levels. We have adjusted the level of chlorine added to the raw water entering the plant to reduce the creation of HAA5 while balancing the chlorine required to mitigate discolored water occurrences.
Additionally, we’ve correlated an equipment malfunction that required replacement as a contributing factor. The interim chlorine feed process change during the replacement may have also contributed. Because of supply chain issues, the replacement was not completed until late summer.
We are monitoring the levels of DPBs and HAA5 and are continuing to sample water throughout the distribution system.
BJWSA supplemental tests from the south of the Broad River site have shown HAA5 levels less than 0.060 mg/L. Note: These were supplemental samples used for monitoring and NOT used to calculate the regulated annual average.
More water quality information, including HAA5 averages, are available in our annual Consumer Confidence Report on our website.
Compliance with HAA5 is based on an annual average of quarterly samples, not a single sample result.
Once we were notified by DHEC that a violation occurred, we began to prepare for distribution of the notice. The notice is required to be sent within 30 days of notification by DHEC.
This was not an emergency. If it was, customers would have received a same-day notice.
Yes, this is not an emergency. You do not need to take any action or get an alternative water source.
At this time, there is no need for you to take any action. Alternative water sources are not necessary. There is no need to boil your water. However, if you have specific health concerns, you may choose to consult your doctor.
There is no need to use a water filter; our supplemental tests indicate HAA5 levels have returned to normal levels, and we anticipate the official DHEC tests will confirm that.
If you choose to use a water filter, we urge you to look for packaging that indicates that the product will reduce HAA5 and follow instructions carefully including replacing filters regularly. BJWSA does not recommend or endorse any specific filter.
No. If BJWSA had issued a boil water advisory, you would have been notified right away. Boiling does not reduce HAA5.
Notices were mailed to BJWSA service and billing addresses. We understand that this process presents a challenge in getting information to everyone that may consume the water we provide. This is why we posted the notice online and included a message requesting that recipients share it with others or post it in a public place in areas such as apartments.
We will regularly publish information about the HAA5 exceedance, as required, until our locational running annual average is below 0.060 mg/l. Because the method of calculating this average will continue to reflect the test results of the third and fourth quarters of 2023, you may receive additional mailings about the exceedance.
We also publish an annual report about our water quality, including the levels of HAA5s, in our annual Consumer Confidence Report available on our website.
The US Environmental Protection Agency provides reliable information about water quality and disinfection byproducts on their website at https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/stage-1-and-stage-2-disinfectants-and-disinfection-byproducts-rules.