IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

The University of Central Florida Has Levels of Total Trihalomethanes above the Drinking Water
Standard
Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency to our
customers, you have the right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.
The University of Central Florida routinely monitors for drinking water contaminants. Total Trihalomethanes
(TTHMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAA5s) are by-products of the reaction of the chlorine disinfectant with the natural
organic and inorganic matter in the water. The state of Florida as well as many other states requires the use of a
disinfectant to minimize the possibility of bacterial contamination in the drinking water distribution system. The
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for
TTHMs is 80 parts per billion (ppb) and for HAA5s is 60 ppb.
Beginning on 10/1/13, the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts (D/DBP) Rule went into effect for our
water system. Compliance with the new rule is determined by locational running annual averages (LRAAs) of
quarterly TTHM/HAA5 test results at each of four sites within our distribution system. The most recent results for
samples collected at one of our sites, Arena Building 50, on 9/23/14 were 63.76 ppb for TTHMs and 25.41 ppb for
HAA5s. Based on the last four quarterly test results at this site from 10/1/13 through 9/30/14 (shown below), the
LRAA for TTHMs was 84.1975 ppb. The water system is considered to be in violation of the Stage 2 D/DBP Rule
for TTHMs since the LRAA exceeds the MCL (80 ppb).

TTHMs
(ppb)
Arena Bldg.
50

Fourth
Quarter
2013
(12/3/13)

First
Quarter
2014
(3/11/14)

Second
Quarter
2014
(6/12/14)

Third
Quarter
2014
(9/23/14)

Locational
Running
Annual
Average

79.78

114.05

79.20

63.76

84.1975

MCL

80

What should I do?

You do not need to boil your water or take corrective actions. However if you have specific health concerns, please
consult your doctor.
What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.
Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience
problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
What corrective action is being taken?
Measures to limit TTHM levels include adjusting the amount of the chlorine added at the water treatment plant,
expanding our residual chlorine monitoring frequency to keep residuals as low as permissible, and continuing our
water main flushing program. The University of Central Florida will continue to work toward this long-term
solution, and monitor and report the TTHM results to you on a quarterly basis as long as the LRAA exceeds the
MCL, as required by FDEP.
If you should have any questions concerning this situation, please do not hesitate to contact Larry Eflin at (407) 8234659 or write to him at larry.eflin@ucf.edu or at Facilities and Safety, 3528 North Perseus Loop -BLDG
16, Orlando, FL 32816.
Please share this information with other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received
this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by
posting this notice in a public place, or distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being sent to you by the University of Central Florida, Dept. of Sustainability & Energy Management.
UCF State Water System PWSID# 3480409
Date distributed: 12/2/14