Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its first regulation to limit six PFAS levels in drinking water. The regulation will be 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for two PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) along with a hazard index of 1.0 for the other 4 PFAS (PFHxS, GenX, PFNA, and PFBS).

The City of New Port Richey has been testing our water supply for these six regulated PFAS and to date have completed three quarters of testing and have had no detection of any of these contaminants in our water supply. The results can be found below.

Please be assured that:

• The City of New Port Richey’s top priority is providing high-quality, clean, safe drinking water to protect public health.
• PFAS are a concern for all communities and we are doing our best to make sure our water supply is not affected.
• We are monitoring the EPA's progress and testing for PFAS and we are working with our Regional Supplier Tampa Bay Water to prepare to address these new regulations.
• We can assure you; we will meet those regulations and continue to supply a high-quality, clean, safe drinking water to all of our customers.

Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Analytical Report

Detection Results for Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Drinking Water Samples

Note: While the results provided may show none of the 29 PFAS were detected above EPA’s Minimum Reporting Levels (MRLs) for the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5) study, the EPA requires the use of MRLs to ensure consistency of data quality from the many water utilities and laboratories participating in this nationwide study. Laboratories have varying abilities to analyze PFAS to levels lower than MRLs such as Practical Quantitation Limits (PQLs) and Method Detection Limits (MDLs) but the EPA does not allow this lower-level data to be uploaded to their Central Database Exchange for inclusion in the UCMR5 study. Tampa Bay Water analyzed samples to supplement the findings of the City of New Port Richey and other member utilities and reported the findings using methods other than EPA required MRLs. You can view these results at Tampa Bay Water’s website: https://www.tampabaywater.org/quality/water-quality-concerns/pfas/epa-study-results/. It is important to note that results reported below the EPA’s MRLs are primarily qualitative and not quantitative, which means a substance may have been detected but not in a reliably quantifiable amount.

In an effort to improve the safety of our drinking water, and in accordance with state and federal regulations, the City of New Port Richey has been actively working to identify and remove potential sources of lead in drinking water.  Specifically, we would like the public to understand three major updates:

1. The City of New Port Richey has completed an initial “Lead Service Line Inventory.” This inventory tracks the pipe materials used to connect the water system to all of our customer homes and buildings.
2. A new program for testing water for lead in customer homes, schools, and licensed childcare facilities will begin in 2025. The program will allow us to detect any problems with lead for our most vulnerable customers.
3. All remaining lead service lines need to be replaced over a ten-year period ending by 2037 in accordance with recent changes in federal regulations. Replacing lead service lines will remove one of the largest sources of lead in drinking water.

Health Effects of Lead

Exposure to lead in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects. Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or nervous system problems.

Sources of Lead

Lead is a toxic metal with properties that have made it useful for some products.  Lead is currently used to store energy in many of today’s car batteries.  In the past, before the adverse health effects of lead were understood, it was used in plumbing, as a component in paints, and in gasoline.

Drinking water is one possible source of lead exposure.  EPA estimates that 10 to 20 percent of a person’s potential exposure to lead may come from drinking water. Infants who consume mostly formula mixed with lead-containing water can receive 40 to 60 percent of their exposure to lead from drinking water.

The City of New Port Richey uses a water supply that does not have problems with lead.  However, some lead can enter drinking water through exposure to pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead materials.  Potential sources of lead in plumbing systems include:

1.Lead service lines that connect the city water system to a home or building.

2. Lead pipes and/or lead solder used to connect pipes that are found inside of a home or building.
3. Plumbing fixtures using brass or other metal components that contain small amounts of lead.

Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have plumbing containing lead. Newer homes may also have lead, and even “lead-free” plumbing may contain some lead.

Other sources of lead exposure include lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust or soil. In addition, lead can be found in certain types of pottery, pewter, brass fixtures, food, and cosmetics.

Steps to Reduce Your Exposure to Lead in Drinking Water

1. Run your water to flush out lead. Run water for 30-120 seconds or until it reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking.
2. Use cold water for cooking and preparing baby formula. Do not cook with or drink water from the hot water tap; lead dissolves more easily into hot water.
3. Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.
4. Consider purchasing a water filter or bottled water. Make sure that filters are approved by NSF International by looking for their mark of approval.
5. Test your water for lead. If you think you may have elevated lead levels in your home drinking water, have it tested. Call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 for more information.
6. Get your child’s blood tested. If you are concerned about exposure to lead, contact your local health department or health care provider for testing information.
7. Identify and replace plumbing fixtures containing lead. Brass faucets, fittings, and valves, including some advertised as “lead-free”, may contribute to lead in your water.

Monitoring Lead Levels

The City of New Port Richey routinely monitors the concentration of lead in our drinking water, including at some customer taps.  Federal and state regulations require the utility to take specific actions if the concentration of lead exceeds an “action level” which is currently 15 parts per billion (ppb) but will be changing to 10 ppb.  Over the past two decades, New Port Richey has reported lead concentrations ranging from less than 1 to 2 ppb.

In 2025 a new water testing program will commence to monitor lead levels in homes that may be vulnerable to lead problems.  The program will also include extensive testing at schools and licensed day care facilities.  More information about our upcoming lead testing programs will be provided at a later date.

For More Information

For more information, call us at (727) 841-4570, or visit our Web site at Water Production - New Port Richey (cityofnewportrichey.org). For more information on reducing lead exposure around your home/building and the health effects of lead, visit EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/lead or contact your health care provider.

The New Port Richey Web site also has a link to our “Lead Service Line Inventory” report.  The report is a PDF file that can be searched by street address using the search function, or “find” button. If you have questions about the service line material classifications provided in the report then please contact the number provided above

The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) are a series of big changes to the 1991 Lead and Copper Rule. These changes take a proactive approach to improving the current rule by strengthening drinking water treatment requirements, increasing sample reliability, and improving risk communication for lead and copper in drinking water.

The EPA recently revised the Lead and Copper Rule to strengthen its public health protections and clarify its implementation requirements. For more information, visit the EPA website.