City of Parsons finds levels of ‘Haloacetic Acids’ above drinking water standards

The city of Parsons, Kansas, is reporting that its water supply has an excess amount of “Haloacetic Acids”.

In a news release, the city says “although this is not an emergency, as our customers you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.”

When disinfection (such as the use of chlorine) is used in the treatment of drinking water, disinfectants combine with organic and inorganic matter present in water to form compounds called disinfection byproducts (DBP).

EPA sets standards for controlling the levels of DBP in drinking water, including Haloacetic Acids (HAA). Compliance is based on the four-quarter average of sample results for each location where HAA samples are collected, called a locational running annual average (LRAA).

The HAA standard for any one LRAA is 60 ug/L. Results for samples we collected on 11/13/2023 shows that our system exceeds the standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL) for HAA.

For the fourth quarter of 2023, three of the LRAAS where HAA samples are collected was 72 ug/L, 79 ug/L, and 71 ug/L respectively.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

You do not need to use an alternative (e.g., bottled) water supply. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

This is not an immediate risk. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. However, some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT IS BEING DONE?

The City of Parsons and KDHE are still investigating this issue and how best to rectify the situation. Please be assured that we are diligently working on this issue

We anticipate resolving the problem within the year.