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PA Community Water Systems
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iy./_
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
Dear Community Water System Owners and Operators:
OFFICE OF
WATER
V
You and the owners and operators of approximately 3,500 other
water systems across the country have been selected at random to
participate in a survey of drinking water systems conducted
periodically by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The purpose of the Survey is to help us better understand
what it is like to operate a water system, to get a more accurate
picture of your problems, and to discover opportunities for
improvement. The Survey findings will help us do a better job in
assessing the cost impacts and the benefits of future EPA
regulations. The findings will also help us determine how
affordable our regulations may be to water systems of different
sizes.
Your responses to these questions will be combined with the
responses of other water systems in your size and ownership
categories and will be used only in presenting categorical
information. Your name or the name of your water system will not
be identified.
By participating in this effort, you will not only benefit
EPA»s national drinking water program, but you will ultimately be
helping yourselves and the people you serve, as well as the
thousands of other water systems across the country who will
benefit from a more accurate and sensitive regulatory development
process. The answers to the attached questions will give us a much
of the information we need to identify lower cost regulatory
options and better understand current water system capabilities and
constraints.
Thanks once again for your help. If you should have any
questions, please feel free to contact roe in the Drinking Water
Standards Division of EPA at (202) 260-7785, or call Michelle Riser
of Westat, Inc., the contractor who is assisting EPA in conducting
this survey, at 1-800-276-2952.
Brian C. Rourke,
Program Analyst
EPA
Printed on Recycled Paper
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1994 Community Water Systems Survey:
Private Systems Questionnaire
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
This questionnaire asks three preliminary questions and then is divided into two major parts:
PART I - OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS (Questions 4-26; and
PART II - FINANCIAL CHARACTERISTICS (Questions 27-41).
Please complete the questionnaire as follows:
• In Question 1, provide the best contact person for each part (I and II);
• In Question 2, indicate the latest full-year reporting periods for which your operating information,
and financial information are available;
• In Part I of the questionnaire, use the period indicated in Question 2(A) to report 'last year's'
operating data; and in Part II, use the period indicated in Question 2(B) to report 'last year's"
financial data; and
. Please record your answers for the questionnaire by filling in the blank(s)
or circling the appropriate number(s) for each item.
i. Please provide the name, title and telephone number of the most knowledgeable person to
contact for information on:
(A) PART I - OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS:
Name: Title:
Tel. No. ( ) - Fax No.
T
(B) PART II - FINANCIAL CHARACTERISTICS
(Write 'SAME' if same as above)
Name:
Title:
Tel. No. L
J
Fax No.
Please specify the end date of the most recent 12-month reporting period for which your
drinking water system can provide operating and financial information.
T
Can be reported
for the
12 months ending
(A) Operating information.
(B) Financial information .
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3. Please indicate, by circling the appropriate numbers, whether the organizations or people listed
below provide your drinking water system with:
(A) Information on drinking water requirements and guidance;
(B) Operator training; and
(C) Technical assistance.
(Circle all numbers that apply for each information source)
INFORMATION SOURCE
T
(A)
Source
providing
information
on drinking
water requirements
and guidance
State Department of Natural Resources, state
Health Department, or state EPA. 1
Other state government departments or
extension services 1
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1
Other federal agencies or extension services
(e.g., FmHA, Rural Development Administration) 1
County government 1
Local government 1
State rural water associations 1
Other associations 1
Rural community assistance program 1
Contracted engineering services 1
Citizen volunteers 1
Electronic bulletin boards 1
Technical publications 1
Radio or television 1
Local newspapers 1
Federal register 1
Any other (Specify 1
1
1
(B)
Source
providing
operator
training
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
(C)
Source
providing
technical
assistance
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
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PART I - OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS
4. For each type of water source listed below, please indicate which ones you use and:
(A) the number of gallons pumped in the last year (i.e., the amount of water to the
distribution system);
(B) the number of disinfection points; and
(C) the number of points where other types of treatment are provided.
WATER SOURCE
Ground water
Surface water .
Water purchased from
other systems
Do you obtain water
from this source?
YES
1
1
1
NO
2
2
2
If YES, enter the number of:
(A) (B)
Gallons pumped Number of dli- Number ol other
In the la*t year Infection point* treatment point*
What was your system's peak daily production of non-purchased drinking water during the past
year, and what is its maximum daily treatment design capacity?
V
Gallons
per day
(A) Peak daily production
(B) Maximum daily treatment design capacity
6. Do you have treated water storage?
T
1 Yes
2 No —» Go to Question 8
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Please indicate whether you have the following types of storage listed below; and if so, for each
type of storage:
(A) how many tanks do you have;
(B) what is their storage capacity; and
(C) do you disinfect water in these tanks during storage?
TYPE OF STORAGE
Uncovered (e.g., reservoirs):
Steel
Concrete or Other
Does your water
system have this
type of storage?
YES NO
If YES, complete the following:
Ml (B>
w Total Disinfect during
Number storage capacity storage?
o( tanks Ingaliona YES NO
Covered:
Steel
Concrete or Other.
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
8. Please indicate whether your distribution system has the types of pipe listed below; and if so, for
each type of pipe what is the number of:
(A) miles (or feet) of existing pipe;
(B) miles (or feet) of pipe replaced in the last year;
(C) water main repairs in the last year; and
(D) number of months between flushes for entire system.
TYPE OF PIPE
Does your
distribution
system
have this
type of
pipe?
YES NO
Iron:
w/ Cement Lining 1
w/o Cement Lining .... 1
Asbestos:
w/ Vinyl
w£o Vinyl
PVC
Other Plastic . . .
Other (Specify)
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
Does your
distribution
system
have this
type of
Pipe?
YES NO
H YES, enter the number of:
(A)
Miles (or
feet) of
existing Unto
pipe (MorF)
(B)
Mites (or
feet) (specify
which) of
pips replaced
In the Units
last year (MorF)
Water
main
repairs
In the
last
year
(D)
Number of
months
between
flushes for
entire system
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9. How many miles (or feet) of new pipe (for expansion purposes) have you installed in the last 5
years?
(if zero, enter *0")
MILES OF NEW PIPE OR
FEET OF NEW PIPE
10. How many people does your system currently serve with piped drinking water, and how many
did it serve 5 years ago?
(Please estimate if you don't know the exact number)
NOTE:
1. If you do not know the number of people served, you may indicate the number of
active connections in the appropriate space below.
2. If your system serves a population that changes on a seasonal basis (for example, a
winter or summer resort area), please indicate the highest seasonal number of people
served or active connections.
T
Currently
T
5 years ago
PEOPLE SERVED WITH PIPED DRINKING WATER
OR
ACTIVE CONNECTIONS WITH PIPED
DRINKING WATER
11. What are the ZIP codes of your service area?
(If more than 5 23PS, attach an extra sheet and enter the total number of ZIPS served here.
OPERATOR TRAINING
12. Do you have any drinking water treatment plant operators currently employed by your system?
T
1 Yes
2 fto —>
Goto Question 15
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13. Please indicate whether you employ treatment plant employees at any of the training level
categories listed below, and provide the number of operators and average operator work week
(in hours) at each training level category:
TRAINING LEVEL CATEGORY
STATE CERTIFIED (i.e., with state-approved
certified training for drinking water)
- Full time operator(s) [Definition:
Works at least 35 hours a week]
- Part time operator(s) who also operate other
drinking water plants (e.g., 'circuit riders') .
- Other part time, state certified
operators
Do you employ
drinking w»iw
treatment
operator! at Into
training level
category?
YES NO
If "YES"
Average noura per week
par operator
Othar
How many Drinking
operators Treatment Water
do you have? Dutta* Outlet
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WATER SOURCES ANDTREATMEMT
15. Is your water system interconnected to another system that you can use for emergency
purposes (e.g., hot summers)?
T
1 Yes
2 No
16. Please indicate if you would adopt any of the solutions listed below, if your primary source of
drinking water became permanently unusable due to contamination:
SOLUTION
Draw more heavily upon other sources on the present system
Draw upon another system to which you are now connected.
Draw upon alternative sources (e.g., hook up to another system) . . .
Implement a water management plan (e.g., rationing)
Drill new wel!(s).
Curtail service
Other (Specify)
K primary water
sources became
unusable, would you
adopt this solution?
YES NO
. . 1 2
. . 1 2
. . 1 2
. 1 2
. . 1 2
. . 1 2
1 2
17. What is the name of your long term alternate source and how many miles is it from the nearest
distribution point on your current system?
(If you have none, write "none")
T T
Distance
from
Name of long term system
alternate water source(s) (to nearest mile)
1.
2..
3..
4.
18. Do you boost chlorine residuals in your distribution system?
1 Yes —> If yes, at how many sites?
2 No —>
Go to instruction box at the bottom of this page
IF THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 4 INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE A GROUNDWATER SOURCE,
ANSWER QUESTION 19 NEXT; OTHERWISE GO TO QUESTION 20.
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10
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SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
21. Does your drinking water system participate in a source-water or wellhead protection program?
V
1 Yes
2 No —> Go to Question 24
22. Who leads or manages this program?
(Circle only one number)
T
1 Local government
2 Regional authority (e.g., Section 208 Agency)
3 State agency
4 Other? (Specify)
23. How is the management area delineated?
(Circle all numbers that apply and fill in the blanks if 3, 4 or 5 is circled)
T
1 By watershed boundaries
2 By aquifer boundaries
3 By a fixed radius around well of feet
4 By a fixed distance from a surface water body of feet
5 Other (Specify)
10
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24. Please Indicate if any of the sources of contamination listed below exist within 2 miles of your
water supply:
SOU
Indus
Agric
Debar
Sewa
Solid
Lead
Nit rat
Pestic
Petro
Solve
Cross
Other
25. Who
LAB
Thes
Apriv
In-hoi
Other
26. How
PAYI
Direct
Includ
Donl
Other
RCE OF CONTAMINATION
trial runoff or spills.
jltural runoff.
i runoff
ge discharge
waste disposal
as.
;ides, rodenticides, fungicides
eum products
nts
-connections
(Specify)
performs laboratory analysis on your drinking water'
ANALYSIS PROVIDER
tate
ate firm
jse employees
(Specify)
do you pay for your laboratory analysis?
J1ENT METHOD
payment for tests to state or private lab ....
ed as part of state permit
pay .
{Specify)
Does this source of contamination exist within 2
miles of your water supply?
YES NO
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
?
T
Does this provider perform your lab analysis?
YES NO
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
T
Do you use this payment method?
YES NO
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
11
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PART n - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
REVENUES ANO EXPENSES
27. Are your income and expense statements for your drinking water system completed in
accordance to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)?
(Circle one number)
V
1 Yes
2 No
3 Don't have separate income and expense
statements for our drinking water system
4 Dont know
PROVIDING ESTIMATES:
The following questions ask for information on drinking water supply operations, exclusive of other
activities with other types of operations. Where possible, please provide exact information from
your system's records. Otherwise provide your best estimate of financial information that is
applicable to your drinking water system only. Circle the number 1 or 2 in the last column (where
provided) to indicate whether your answer was based on records or not.
28. During the last year [as defined in your response to Question 2(B)] what were your drinking
water system's revenues from water sales for each of the following customer categories:
(If zero, enter "0')
CUSTOMER CATEGORIES Revenues
Residential customers $
Commercial customers $
Industrial customers $
Wholesale customers (i.e., those
who redistribute your water
to other users) $
"Local municipal government $
Other government customers $
Agricultural customers $
Other (Specify $
Gallons delivered
(in millions)
Based on
system's Best
records estimate
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
12
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29. Please indicate your drinking water system's revenues during the last year from the other water-
related revenue sources listed below.
(If zero, enter "0")
V V
REVENUE SOURCE
Revenues
Based on
system's Best
records estimate
Connection fees $_
Inspection fees $_
Developer fees . . $_
Other fees $_
Interest earnings (on water fund, etc.) $_
Other revenues (not elsewhere classified) $_
2
2
2
2
2
2
13
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30. For each customer category listed below, please identify your drinking water system's billing
structure, indicate the year and percent of the two most recent rate increases, and provide the
number of metered and unmetered active connections.
(If zero, enter "0")
CUSTOMER CATEGORY
Residential customers
Commercial customers
Industrial customers
Wholesale customers (i.e., those who
redistribute your water to other users)
Local municipal government
Other government customers
Agricultural customers
Other (Specif^
Billing
structure
(Circle all
code(s)
from Box 3
that apply)
1234567
1234567
1234567
1234567
1234567
1234567
1234567
1234567
Year and percent of
two most recent rate
increases
YR. % YR. %
Number
of active
connections
Metered/Unmetered
Metered Charges
CODE Billing Structure
1 Uniform rate
2 Declining block rate
3 Increasing block rate
4 Peak period rate
(e.g., seasonal)
BOX 3 - BILLING STRUCTURE
Unmetered Charges
CODE Billing Structure
5 Separate flat rate for water
6 Combined flat rate for water and other services
(e.g., rental fees, association fees, pad fees)
Other Type of Charges
CODE Billing structure
7 Other (Specify)_
14
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31.
How many gallons (or dollar equivalents) of uncompensated usage did your water system have
in the last year for each of the usage categories listed below:
T V
32.
u
F
F
L(
U
O
Pie
the
Uncompens
(Enter eithe
NCOMPENSATED USAGE CATEGORY or dollar eq
ree service to municipal buildings and parks . . . qal.
re protection, street cleaning,
hydrant flushing qal.
saks. breaks, failed meters qal.
ncoflected bills qal.
ther (Specify) qal.
tated usage Based on
r cations system's Best
Lwa/enf.) records estimate
or $ 12
or $ 12
or $ 12
or S 12
or $ 12
ase enter the operating expenses of your drinking water system in the last year, according to
operating expense categories listed below:
T T
Last ye
OPERATING EXPENSE operating e
Direct compensation (wage, salary, bonus, etc.):
Managers $
Operators $
Others $
Benefits (health & insurance premiums,
pension contributions) S
Energy costs:
Electricity S
Other energy (gas. oil. etc.l $
Chemicals:
Disinfectants $
Precipitant chemicals $
Other chemicals $
Materials and supplies S
Research S
Outside analytical lab services $
Other outside services $
Depreciation expenses $
Other operating expenses (do not include
interest or principal repayment) S
All tajces (income, property, etc.)
Federal taxes S
State taxes $
Local taxes $
TOTAL ALL OPERATING EXPENSES $
, Based on
ars system's Best
xpenses records estimate
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
15
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33. Please enter the amount of debt service expenses for your drinking water system in the last
year. (Include both interest and principal repayment.)
T
$.
. DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE
34. Please enter the amount of all other expenses (i.e., total expenses excluding your operating and
debt service expenses) of your drinking water system in the last year.
T
$ .
OTHER EXPENSES
35. Please provide the following information on your drinking water system's total assets and
liabilities, outstanding debt, and total capital reserve fund.
$
s $
Amount at end
of last year
Based on
system's Best
records estimate
1 2
1 2
TOTAL ASSETS
TOTAL LIABILITI
TOTAL DEBT OUTSTANDING:
Due within 5 years $.
Longer than 5 years $.
TOTAL CAPITAL RESERVE FUND $.
2
2
2
16
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36.
Have you paid for any capitalized water system improvements, repairs or expansion since
January 1, 1987?
37.
T
1 Yes
2 No — > Go to Question 41
What sources of funds did you use to
expansion?
Was
fun
SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR ...
CAPITAL INVESTMENT YE
Debt Financing
Industrial revenue or
development bond
Company bond
Bank loan
STATE OR FEDERAL SUBSIDIZED LOAN:
Small Business Administration .
Rural Development
Administration (RDA) ....
Farmers Home
Administration (FmHA) ....
State Agencies (Specify)
Other Sources of Funds
Payment from capital reserve
iund
Special assessment
Stock issue
Cash flow from current revenues .
STATE OR FEDERAL SUBSIDIZED GRANT:
Rural Development
Administration
Farmers tlome
Administration
Other (Specify)
pay for these capitalized improvements, repairs, or
T T
this source of If YES, how much was secured or provided for
ds used since each of the following?
1/1/87? Water quality Replacement*
ES NO Improvement or major repairs
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
1 2 S $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
12$ $
System
exparwlon
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
17
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38. Have you ever had to reduce or cancel plans for capitalized improvements, repairs, or
expansion of your drinking water system because you were unable to secure an adequate loan
from any source; and if so, what was the amount of trie loan sought?
_ Amount of Loan Reason for Denial (if known)
1 Yes ->
2 No
IF YOU HAVE NOT USED BONDS FOR FINANCING, GO TO QUESTION 41.
39. Have your bonds ever been rated by a rating service?
V
1 Yes
2 No —> Go to Question 41
40. What was your system's latest bond rating?
T
RATING SERVICE Rating
Mood/s /_^__/__/__/ (e.g., Baal)
Standard and Poor's III I I (e.g., BBB+)
Other (Specify) .
18
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41. What is your system's latest credit rating and who provided it?
(Enter *DK" if you (font Know)
Rating
Rated by
Check here if your system does not have a credit rating:
COMMENTS:
THANK YOU FOR COMPLETING THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. YOUR
TIME AND EFFORT ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
MAILING INSTRUCTIONS ARE INSIDE THE FRONT COVER.
19
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