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SUMMARY
.UATION OF THE KANSAS
WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
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11169
SUMMARY
EVALUATION OF THE KANSAS WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION VII
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
PREFACE 1
INTRODUCTION 2
SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION 5
SUMMARY 9
RECOMMENDATIONS 21
PARTICIPANTS 24
STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY ADDRESSES 26
REFERENCES 27
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PREFACE
This SUMMARY is a condensation of the EVALUATION
OF THE KANSAS WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM. It presents the
significant study findings and major recommendations
needed to give Kansas an effective Water Supply Program.
For more detailed information concerning the drinking
water quality and protection in Kansas, consult a copy
of the complete report available from the Kansas State
Department of Health and the Environmental Protection
Agency.
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INTRODUCTIIN
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INTRODUCTION
The Community Water Supply Study revealed numerous inadequacies in
the nation's water supply systems. These findings indicated that many
public water supplies were failing to meet bacteriological and chemical
quality established by the Drinking Water Standards' ' and that opera-
tion and maintenance of many water systems were inadequately performed.
There were deficiencies noted in many state water supply programs.
Many had regulations that were inadequate and surveillance of public
water supplies was being neglected. Water supply programs within state
environmental control or health agencies are being neglected because
of the induced emphasis of other environmental health programs such as
waste disposal, air and water pollution control. Legal responsibilities
are imposed on and financial assistance is provided to state agency
programs in many environmental control program areas. On the other
hand, the water supply program has no federal backup legally or finan-
cially. Each state must recognize its problems and provide the resources
to alleviate them.
Dr. Edwin D. Lyman, Director of the Kansas State Health Department,
recognized the importance of an effective state water supply program
and utilized the technical assistance of the Environmental Protection
Agency for this evaluation of the State Water Supply Program.
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The evaluation of the Kansas Water Supply Program was conducted during
the spring and summer of 1972. The purpose of the evaluation was to
determine the effectiveness of the Kansas Water Supply Program and
recommend any needed improvements. The Guidelines used in making the
evaluation were "A Guide to the Interstate Carrier Water Supply Pro-
gram. ' Manual for Evaluating Public Drinking Water Supplies/ ' and
the Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards, 1962. "
To perform the evaluation of the Kansas Water Supply Program, the
following activities and facilities were reviewed:
1. The Kansas laws, regulations and policies pertaining to the
Water Supply Program.
2. The structural organization of the State program and its
activities.
3. The available physical and personal resources to accomplish
the program objectives.
4. A selected representative sample of the public water supplies
was visited and surveyed to determine compliance.
a. Forty Community Water Supplies.
b. Twelve of the 44 Communities that are adjusting
the fluoride level of their public water supply.
c. Forty small public water supplies serving the traveling
public along 1-70 between Topeka and Hays, Kansas.
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The findings of the above reviews were analyzed and specific recommen-
dations were developed to assist the State in improving their Water
Supply Program,
Definitions of drinking water systems used in this study are as follows:
1. Public water supply system - any system which provides water
for public consumption, excluding water sold in bottles or
other closed containers.
2. Community water supply systems - a public system that provides
water to ten or more premises not owned or controlled by the
supplier of water or to forty or more resident individuals.
3. Small public water supply systems - small public water supply
systems that: (a) provide water to less than ten premises not
controlled by the supplier of water or less than 40 resident
individuals; (b) provide water to any number of people on
premise-owned or controlled by the supplier of water; or (c)
provide water to the traveling public.
4. Individual water supply system - a water supply system that
serves a single dwelling unit occupied by one family.
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SCOPE OFTHE EVALUATION
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SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION
Water Supplies
The 1970 census indicates that Kansas has a population of 2,246,576
of which 80% are served by approximately 632 public water supplies.
The 632 public water supplies includes mobile home parks, state
institutions, airports, rural water districts, turnpike authority,
rest homes, and 502 systems serving organized municipalities.
Public water supplies in Kansas are developed in compliance with
Kansas laws, regulations, and policies, and are monitored by the
State -Department of Health for bacteriological quality. The term
"semi-public supplies" is not used in describing water supplies in
Kansas. However, it is estimated that there are an additional
1,000 small public water supplies serving water to the public in
restaurants, rural schools, gasoline service stations, motels, etc.,
that are not included in the State surveillance program. The 502
municipal water supplies were divided into six (6) population
groups as indicated in the following Table I.
A base of forty community systems supplying water to municipalities
was selected for field evaluation. These forty supplies represented
less than 10% of 502 municipal systems but 47% of the population
served by water supplies monitored by the State Health Department.
The number of systems to be surveyed from each of the population
groups was selected by considering both the population served by
water supplies in these groups and by the number of systems in each
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TABLE I
Public Water Suppl
Municipalities
Population Group
More than 50,000
10,000 - 50,000
2,500 - 10,000
1,000- 2,500
500- 1,000
Less than 500
Subtotal 1
WATER
ies
Population
564,173
545,215
262,930
159,424
70,167
48,000
,649,909
Unincorporated
Communities and
small public water
supplies 147,352
Total 1
Other small
public water
water supplies
Individual
Total 2
,797,261
449,315
,246,576
SUPPLY SYSTEMS IN
No. of Systems
3
30
60
98
101
210
502
130
632
1,000*
114,000*
KANSAS
Percent of
Population
34.2
33.1
15.9
9.7
4.2
2.9
100.0
Systems
Selected
2
13
10
7
3
5
40
0
40
0
No. of Systems
Surveyed 80
*Estimated
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group. The forty supplies to be evaluated were also distributed
as equally as possible over the six areas as demonstrated in
Figure I.
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(Figure 1)
KANSAS STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AREAS AND WATER SUPPLIES SURVEYED
32
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AREA I
1. GARDEN CITY*
2. C8PELAND
3. DODGE CITY
4. BUCKLIN
S. KINSLEY
6. BUCKLIN
7. PRATT
*Area Office of
AREA II
8. KINGMAN
9. WICHITA*
10. DOUGLASS
11. AUGUSTA
12. EL DORADO
13. ATLANTA
AREA III
15. INDEPENDENCE
16. OSWEGO
17. COLUMBUS
18. PITTSBURG
19. CHANUTE*
20. KORAN
14. ARKANSAS CITY 21. IOLA
State Health Department **Area
AREA IV
22. WAMEGO
23. TOPEKA**
24. GARDNER
25. LEAVENWORTH
26. ATCHISON
27. HOLTON
28. WESTMORELAND
and Central Offices
AREA V AREA VI
28. JUNCTION CITY 36. GREAT BEND
30. ABILENE 37. HAYS*
31. SALINA* 38. BOGUE
32. JEWELL 39. HILL CITY
33. BEVERLY 40. NORTON
34. ELLSWORTH
35. LYONS
of State Health Department
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SUMMARY
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SUMMARY
Program Review
Authority
Statutes
The Kansas statutes give broad authority to the State Board of
Health for regulating public water supplies and administrative
responsibility to the State Health officer for carrying out these
acts.
Regulations
Only two regulations have been initiated that pertain to public
water supplies: one pertaining to collection and analysis of water
for quality control; and, one for the application of permits to
supply water for domestic purposes.
Policy
The Kansas State Department of Health has developed a number of
policy documents relating to the design and operation of public
water supplies much of which should be incorporated in regulations.
Organization and Activities
The Public Water Supply Program is a function of the Water Quality
Control Section under the Division of Environmental Health in the
State Health Department. The Water Quality Control Section Chief
devotes about 30% of his time to the administration of the Water
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Supply Program. Area engineers and/or technicians in the six area
offices devote about 20% of their activities to the Water Supply
Program.
Two of the three individuals in the central office have obtained
professional registration and master degrees. The other individual
has a bachelor degree and is fulfilling the Engineering-in-Training
(EIT) requirements. Four of the ten personnel in the area offices
have acquired professional registration; two of them have bachelor
degrees, one has a masters degree and the other one does not have
a college degree. The other six area technicians have attended
various colleges and universities but have not obtained their
degrees.
Engineering Surveillance
With this available manpower only 20% of the public water supplies
have been surveyed annually. Small public water supplies are not
routinely inspected.
Engineering and Technical Assistance
There are approximately 100 sets of plans and specifications reviewed
annually requiring one man-year of effort. Many small public water
supplies fail to submit plans and specifications prior to construction.
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An additional .5 man-year is expended for providing water supply
information to various governmental agencies, institutions and
private organizations.
Operator Training
There are three area schools each year but only one day is devoted
to water supply in each school.
The Annual Water and Sewage Works School has 20 hours of instruc-
tion in water supply and waste treatment.
Correspondence courses are available through State and Federal
programs at a nominal fee to the operator.
Due to the lack of contact with State personnel, small public water
supply operators are not encouraged to attend training courses..
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Status of the 40 Community Water Supply Systems
There are 632 public water supply systems in Kansas serving an
estimated population of 1,780,634. Detailed sanitary surveys
of 40 selected systems revealed the following:
Water Quality - Bacteriological
Eight water systems (20%) serving a population of 27,193 failed
to meet the coliform limits of the DWS for one or more months
during the 11 months review period.
Water Quality - Chemical and Physical
Eighteen water systems (45%) serving a total population of 134,922
failed to meet one or more of the chemical and physical standards
of the DWS.
Sixteen water systems (40%) serving a total population of 120,672
failed to meet one or more recommended or mandatory standards.
Two water systems (5%) serving a total population of 14,250 failed
to meet the recommended physical limits. In addition, there were
two supplies serving a total population of 20,192 that failed to
meet the mandatory chemical limits.
Source
Two water systems (5%) serving a population of 6,662 had inadequate
quantities of water.
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Two water systems (5%) serving a population of 35,743 had sources
which required improvements.
Treatment
All of the supplies (100%) had facilities for disinfecting; however,
six systems (15%) did not have a free chlorine residual in the
system at the time of the survey.
Fourteen water systems (35%) need additional treatment facilities.
Distribution
Two water systems (5%) serving a total population of 17,972 need
additional distribution storage facilities.
One water system serving a population of 274,448 has inadequate
water pressure in some parts of the distribution system during
certain times.
Quality Control
Fifteen water systems (38%) had less than adequate quality control
records.
Eleven water systems (28%) did not keep quality control records.
Four systems (10%) kept only partial control records.
Twelve water systems (30%) serving 21,168 consumers did not have
an ordinance against cross-connections.
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Seven water systems (18%) had plumbing codes but no inspections
or enforcements were prevalent.
Only one water system surveyed was developing a program for con-
tinuous reinspection for removal of cross-connections.
Quality of Operation
Twenty-one water systems (53%) had no certified operators.
Six of the nine water systems (67%) which exhibited operation
problems employed operators that were not certified.
Seven operators (88%) in charge of the eight supplies that failed
to meet adequate bacteriological quality were not certified.
Four operators (67%) were not certified in the six systems which
were not properly disinfected.
Ten operators (67%) were not certified in the 15 systems that had
inadequate control records.
Bacteriological Surveillance
Twenty-one water systems (52%) serving 148,548 individuals exhibited
Inadequate bacteriological surveillance.
Five water systems (13%) did not collect any samples during some
months.
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Chemical Surveillance
The state performs one chemical analyses from a well or the
distribution system from each community water supply annually.
In most instances this is adequate in number; however* only eight
of the 20 substances routinely analyzed are listed in the Drinking
Water Standards.
Engineering Surveillance
Twenty-nine water systems (73%) had not received formal inspections
by State personnel during the past 12 months.
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Status of Public Water Systems Adjusting Fluoride Levels
Forty-four public water systems have facilities for fluoridation.
The field survey of 12 systems revealed the following:
Optimum Fluoride Level
Nine (75%) evidenced a fluoride ion content in the distribution
system within the 0.8-1.2 mg/1 range.
Laboratory Control
Five (42%) were not conducting daily fluoride analysis. Adequate
analytical equipment was not available in five (42%) of the facil-
ities surveyed.
Chemical Feed Equipment
Four (33%) had deficient equipment and only four (33%) of the chem-
ical feeding arrangements were acceptable.
Chemical Storage and Handling
Five (42%) had unsatisfactory storage arrangements.
Operators Training and Interest
Three (25%) had operators that were inadequately trained in the use
of test equipment.
Three (25%) were operated by personnel not completely familiar with
their equipment.
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Three (25%) had operators who did not favor feeding fluoride.
Surveillance
Three (25%) had not collected the required number of check samples.
Only three (25%) had been visited during the past 12 months by a
representative of the State Health Department.
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Status of Water Systems Serving the Traveling Public
There are estimated to be approximately 1,000 small public water
supply systems in Kansas serving the public at rural schools,
highway rest stops, restaurants, service stations and motels along
Kansas highways, Forty of these systems that were providing water
to the traveling public were\tudied and the following results
were obtained:
Water Quality
Thirty-five (88%) of the water systems surveyed along 1-70 in
Kansas failed to meet the constituent limits of the U.S. Public
Health Service Drinking Water Standards.
Thirty-four (85%) of the water systems surveyed failed to meet at
least one recommended limit for chemical and physical quality.
Six (15%) of the water systems surveyed failed to meet at least one
mandatory chemical limit.
Nine (23%) of the water systems surveyed failed to meet the
bacteriological quality limit.
Sources
Generally, the sources were sufficient to provide the quantities
of water needed although signs were placed at the safety rest areas
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being served by hand-pumped wells warning visitors to conserve
water.
Treatment
Two of the water systems surveyed had facilities for chlorination
although they were not in use.
Distribution
Five (13%) of the water systems surveyed had low pressure (<20 psi)
in some area of the distribution system.
Bacteriological Surveillance
None of the water systems surveyed had an adequate bacteriological
surveillance program except for the three systems that were being
served by municipal systems. The State Highway Commission submits
one sample per month for the safety rest areas under their jurisdic-
tion, however, this is not practiced during the winter months.
There was no record of any bacteriological analysis for the com-
mercial establishments.
Chemical Surveillance
Thirty-seven (93%) of the water systems surveyed were not subject
to a regular program of chemical surveillance. The safety rest
areas water systems had been analyzed for chemical quality immediately
following their installation. There was no record of chemical sur-
veillance at the commercial establishments except those being served
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by a municipal system.
Engineering Surveillance
Only the three water systems being served from a municipal water
system, whose plans had been reviewed and approved by the State
Department of Health, were subject to engineering surveillance.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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RECOMMENDATIONS
The Kansas Water Supply Program should pursue the enforcement of
the existing statutes pertaining to public water supplies and strive
for an interrelated program with other state and local enforcement
agencies to administer the statutes enacted for safeguarding public
health.
A document of collected statutes, regulations, and program policies
relating to the Water Supply Program should be prepared for distri-
bution to municipalities, corporations, companies and individuals
supplying water for domestic purposes to- the public.
Program Resources
The budget of the Water Supply Program should be increased $723,347
for the following purposes:
a. $210,829 for engineering surveillance of 502 community water
supplies and 1,130 small public water supplies.
b. $140,284 for chemical surveillance of the 1,632 public water
supplies.
c. $214,534 for bacteriological surveillance of the 1,632 public
water supplies.
d. $7,700 for training of Water Supply Program personnel.
e. $125,000 to hire personnel to administer a training program
created by adoption of mandatory certification.
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f. $25,000 to hire personnel to develop and administer a well
drillers licensing program.
Administrative Action
a. The State Board of Health should promote salary increases and
benefits for State employment to compete with industry, institu-
tions, other states, and federal government agencies. An active
recruitment program should be initiated at State universities and
colleges to provide the opportunity for qualified engineering
graduates to become familiar with the program.
b. Develop rules and regulations to enforce program requirements
that are assembled in the program policies. A regulation to adopt
DWS_ would provide authority for the State Department of Health to
administer a good Water Supply Program.
Program Action
a. Require monthly operating reports from public water supplies
indicating daily water use, chemicals used in treatment, analytical
results of routine analyses and any operational problems that may
occur.
b. Provide annual inspections of all public water supplies to avoid
potential health hazards that may occur in the source, distribution
system, treatment facilities or operation of the facility, to assure
a safe and dependable water supply.
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c. Develop and maintain current water supply inventories with the
use of automatic data processing techniques for storage, analysis
and retrieval of data.
d. The Water Supply Program should coordinate its activities and
responsibilities with the Kansas Food Service and Lodging Board,
State Department of Education, and other state and local agencies
that are concerned with water supplies serving the public.
Legislative Action
a. Promote and support legislation requiring mandatory certifica-
tion of operators in the water works field. This program should
be under the supervision of State Health Department personnel.
b. Adopt a statute requiring the licensing of well drillers with
the State Health Department having major administrative responsibilities,
c. Revise Statutes 65-162 and 65-163 to clarify that permits for
additional sources of supplies, treatment facilities and treated
water storage must be submitted to the State Health Department for
approval prior to construction of these facilities instead of getting
approval prior to use.
d. Adopt the proposed legislation for mandatory fluoridation of
public water supplies, with the provisions for adequate training,
monitoring and surveillance of the systems to assure the public of
an optimum level of protection against tooth decay.
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PSRTIEIPHNTS
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PARTICIPANTS
The following Environmental Protection Agency personnel and
laboratories made a major contribution to the successful completion
of this study:
Study Coordination and Report Preparation
Otmar 0. Olson, Head, Water Supply Section, Surveillance
and Analysis Division - Region VII
T. Jay Ray, Water Supply Specialist, Water Supply Section,
Surveillance and Analysis Division - Region VII
Blanche M. Anderson, Secretary, Water Supply Section,
Surveillance and Analysis Division - Region VII
Field Evaluation
Keith Boyd, Staff Engineer, Water Supply Division, Washington, D.C.
Curtis Fehn, Staff Engineer, Water Supply Division, Washington, D.C.
Thomas Hushower, Fluoridation Engineer, Water Supply Division,
Washington, D.C.
Harry D. Nash, Microbiologist, Water Supply Programs, Cincinnati,
Ohio
Earl McFarren, Supervisory Chemist, Water Supply Programs,
Cincinnati, Ohio
T. Jay Ray, Water Supply Specialist, Water Supply Section,
Surveillance and Analysis Division - Region VII
Otmar 0. Olson, Head, Water Supply Section, Surveillance and
Analysis Division - Region VII
Laboratory Support
Fluoride Laboratory, Water Supply Division, Washington, D.C.
Water Supply Programs Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio
Water Supply Programs Laboratory, Narragansett, Rhode Island
Water Supply Programs Laboratory, Dauphin Island, Alabama
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We would like to thank Mr. N. Jack Burn's, Chief of the Water
Quality Control Section, Kansas State Department of Health, and his
staff who so earnestly cooperated in this evaluation:
Leonard J. Imhof, Sanitary Engineer
Lloyd W. Rogers, Sanitary Engineer
L. Dean Strowig, Sanitary Engineer
Thomas Reeves,>Sanitary Engineer
Major C. Hagar, Sanitary Engineer
Gerald P. Grant, Engineering Technician
James L. Current, Engineering Technician
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STATE and FEDERAL A6ENCY ADDRESSES
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STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY ADDRESSES
A. State:
Kansas State Department of Health
Division of Environmental Health
Water Quality Control Section
535 Kansas Avenue
Topeka, Kansas 66603
Telephone: 913-296-3825
B. Federal:
Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII
Surveillance and Analysis Division
Surveillance Branch
Water Supply Section
1735 Baltimore Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Telephone: 816-374-5971
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REFERENCES
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REFERENCES
1. Community Water Supply Study - Analysis of National Survey
Findings, Bureau of Water Hygiene, July, 1970, lllpp.
2. 1962 Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards. Public
Health Service Publication No. 956, Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
20402, 61pp.
3. A Guide to the Interstate Carrier Water Supply Certification
Program, EPA, Office of Water Programs, Division of Water
Hygiene, Publication dated June, 1971.
4. Manual for Evaluating Public Drinking Water Supplies, Public
Health Service Publication No. 1820, Superintendent of
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
20402, 1969, 62pp.
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