Commercial customers of the CPWA who are required to have testable backflow prevention devices installed on their connections to the water system, must conduct annual testing of these devices pursuant to the NYS Sanitary Code.  These commercial customers have been notified of these requirements and must have a certified tester inspect the device(s) and submit their test data via an online application called VEPO CrossConnex.

Information on submitting the test data is included on letters mailed to the customer.  Customers need to supply their VEPO CrossConnex (VCC) number to the certified tester in order for them to submit the data.

Customers must have these devices tested and test data submitted annually.  A list of certified testers can be found here.

Cloudy water is caused by air bubbles in the water. It is neither a reason for alarm, nor a health risk. It usually happens during the coldest part of winter, when water temperatures are at their lowest. Customers in the northern end of the CPWA system, generally in the Exit 10 to Exit 12 areas, will see this phenomenon more than customers in the rest of the water system. The reason is that during the winter months, the water that the CPWA purchases from the Saratoga County Water Authority remains predominantly in that part of the system and cloudy water is normally only seen in water originating in a surface water source, such as a lake or river. The SCWA takes its water from the upper Hudson River, while the CPWA's own sources are all groundwater wells. Air is more soluble in water that is colder or as pressure increases. In the winter, as the source water for the SCWA nears freezing temperatures, air dissolves into the water easily and with the addition of pressure in the water mains, the air remains in solution until it reaches the customer's tap. As the water is allowed to warm slightly in the piping of the customer's home, or after it is placed in a glass and pressure is relieved, the air will begin to come out of solution in the form of bubbles, much like a carbonated soft drink. As stated earlier, this condition is not harmful and it is not necessary to allow the air to dissipate prior to drinking. It's just air. Once the cold days of February get past us, customers should see the cloudy water disappear for the remainder of the year.

12/9/2016 10:00:00 AM

OWNERS/LANDLORDS RESPONSIBILITY FOR RENTERS/TENANTS WATER BILLS It is the policy of the Clifton Park Water Authority that all Owners and/or Landlords of real property are responsible for all water charges and water service fees provided to the real estate owned by the Owner and/or Landlords. As an accommodation to any Owner and/or Landlord, if separate water services and meters are provided to tenants, the Clifton Park Water Authority will send separate invoices to each tenant. However, in the event the tenant does not remit payment in full within 90 days of the due date, the owner/Landlord remains fully responsible for all charges. If a tenant who receives a separate water bill from the Clifton Park Water Authority defaults in payment, the Clifton Park Water Authority will provide notice to the Owner/Landlord and they will then be billed for the expense.

11/1/2016

As schools complete their mandated lead and copper testing and the results are made public, many see the levels being found at certain locations and become concerned that their water may too be tainted. It is important when listening to these news stories to understand these results and how lead and copper gets into the water, how the testing is conducted and why. Lead and copper are elements that are almost never found in source waters in any significant amounts. Instead, lead and copper usually finds its way into drinking water from the service pipe and internal plumbing in the building. Water that is corrosive will typically leach lead and/or copper from the plumbing, resulting in high levels of these contaminants, when given enough time to do so. Sampling for lead and copper is done differently than sampling for any other chemical regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health. It is done by taking what is known as a "first draw" sample. Water is left to sit in the piping of the building for a minimum of six hours and then the first water drawn from the faucet after this rest period is collected for testing. Since the process of leaching these metals into the water takes some time, water that has not been sitting in the pipes for a prolonged period will not have high lead or copper levels. The Clifton Park Water Authority system has never had issues with lead and copper. As a result, the CPWA is on a reduced monitoring schedule of once every three years. The issues that were recently in the news with Shenendehowa Schools were restricted to certain taps within those buildings, most likely due to piping, fittings, or fixtures on that particular internal system. It is not a result of any issues with the water provided by the CPWA. Although the CPWA does not have problems with lead and copper, customers who want to ensure that they are drinking the lowest levels of these contaminants possible should let their water run for 15 - 30 seconds in the morning before drinking. Usually letting the water run until it is a consistent cold temperature will guarantee that you are drawing water that was not sitting in the internal piping of the home where it has had a chance to warm and potentially leach contaminants from the piping. Information on contaminants in your water can be found in the CPWA's Annual Water Quality Report, which can be found on the this website.

NEW YORK STATE DEPT OF HEALTH

1.  What is the proper way to disinfect my water so  that it is safe to drink?  The preferred method of treatment is boiling.  Boiling water kills harmful bacteria and parasites.  Bring water to a full ROLLING boil for at least 1 minute to kill most infectious organisms.

2.  How should I wash my hands during a boil water advisory?  Based on the current conditions of the affected public water supplies, vigorous hand washing with soap and your tap water is safe for basic personal hygiene.  If you are washing your hands and preparing food you should use boiled (then cooled) water or bottled water with hand washing soap.

3,  Is potentially contaminated water (where Cryptosporidium is not the significant contaminant) safe for washing dishes or clothes? 

Yes, if you rinse hand washed dishes for a minute in dilute bleach (1 tablespoon per gallon of water).  Allow dishes to completely air dry.

Yes, if you clean your dishes in home dishwasher using the hot wash (170 degrees) and dry cycles.  Note that not all dishwashers reach this temperature.  Again, allow dishes to completely dry.

Yes, for commercial dishwashers if you use a NSF listed washer manufactured with either a hot wash (170 degrees) or a disinfectant rinse.

It is safe to wash clothes in tap water.

4. Is potentially contaminated water safe for bathing and shaving?  The water may be used for showering, baths, shaving and washing, so long as care is taken not to swallow water.  Children and disabled individuals should have their bathing supervised to ensure water is not ingested.  The time spent bathing should be minimized.  Though the risk of illness is minimal, individuals who have recent surgical wounds, are immunosuppressed, or suffering from chronic illness may want to consider using bottled or boiled water for cleansing until the advisory is lifted.

5.  How should I wash fruits and vegetables and make ice?  Fruits and vegetables should be washed with boiled (then cooled water) or bottled water.  Ice should be made with boiled water or bottled water.

6.  What if I have already consumed potentially contaminated water?  Even if someone has consumed potentially contaminated water from either a public water system or a private well before they were aware of the boil water advisory, the likelihood of becoming ill is low.  Anyone experiencing symptoms of the gastroenteritis, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, with or without fever, should seek medical attention.

7.  What infectious organisms might be present in contaminated water?  Disease transmission from contaminated water occurs principally by ingesting water.  The major organisms of concern are protozoa such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium and bacteria such as Shigella, E. coli and viruses.  These organisms primarily affect the gastrointestinal system, causing diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting with or without fever.  Most of these illnesses are not usually serious or life threatening except in the elderly, the very young or those who are immunocompromised. 

3/24/2014

The Saratoga County Water Authority has agreed to move forward with the installation of added filtration at its treament facility in Moreau that will remove the disinfection byproducts from the finished water. The SCWA has been battling the byproducts on and off for the past few years, and has recently seen some of its customers, including the CPWA, discontinue the purchase of water as a result. The County Authority, having exhausted all other less expensive methods of dealing with the problem, decided to move forward with a large capital project to solve it once and for all. After pilot testing three different treatment methods, it was conclusive that Granular Activated Carbon was the most effective treatment for these contaminants, providing near 100% removals. The timeline proposed by the SCWA would have the new treatment online in late 2014/early 2015. The installation involves the construction of a building and 5 GAC pressure filters.

12/19/2004

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