UBT Water Rated High Quality
There was good news in the most recent Water Quality Report released by the Utilities Board of Tuskegee (UBT).
On page 3, these words stated, “We are pleased to report that your Tuskegee Water Treatment Plant had no violations for the year 2016,” which means the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has certified the drinking water is safe.
UBT General Manager, Gerald Long said, “The health of our citizens is very important to us.”
John Tate, water plant manager, is proud of the 2016 water quality report and he is vigilant about maintaining this high quality, which requires strict compliance with federal and state regulatory agencies.
Tate and his team swear by the tools and processes they use to test and treat the raw water that comes from the Tallapoosa River – the source of local drinking water. He explains that each year the water is tested for substances on a big list dictated to UBT by regulatory agencies. Tate says the list includes more than 100 contaminants, “such as viruses and bacteria; inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals; contaminants from pesticides and herbicides; organic contaminants including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals that are by-products of industrial or petroleum processes and production; and radioactive contaminants that may be naturally occurring or the result of mining or gas and oil production.” An independent lab in Auburn primarily performs testing though UBT also uses other labs in Montgomery and Tuscaloosa.
Tate says UBT is committed to integrity and public safety, which places UBT on the right side of disclosure requirements no matter what the testing reveals. He says, “All contaminants that are detected above the maximum contaminant level (MCL’s) established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be reported in your annual water quality report. This is just a small part of the transparency required by the regulating authority for your provider (UBT) to keep you informed of any changes that may present a threat to your water quality.”
The 2016 Drinking Water Quality Report confirms that the Tuskegee Water Plant is in compliance with EPA and ADEM stipulations. To ensure that the public is fully informed concerning this report, copies were mailed to every customer in the UBT jurisdiction, putting the information in the hands of everyone who is interested in factors affecting local drinking water.
For questions or comments concerning the water quality report, contact John Tate at 334.724.2125. For general information regarding UBT, contact Gerald Long at 334.720.0712.
