ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- The Arnold AFB Water Treatment Plant (WTP) violated a drinking water requirement involving an analysis of a source water sample entering the WTP. Even though this was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. During the 1st quarter of 2023 (January through March), we were required to collect one Total Organic Carbon (TOC) sample from the source water entering the WTP and one finished water leaving the WTP for public consumption. The WTP personnel collected the required quarterly sample set in February 2023; however, the certified laboratory was unable to complete the analysis. To meet the quarterly monitoring requirement, the WTP personnel collected another sample set and shipped it to a different certified laboratory. This laboratory could only complete the analysis on the treated water because the sample bottle containing the source water sample broke in transit.
TOC has no health effects; however, it is a potential precursor to the formation of total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5s). Since the TOC analysis result on the treated water sample was low, and because the TTHMs / HAA5 sample results were low, we are confident that the missing sample result did not affect water quality during this period.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do at this time.
The table below lists the contaminant we did not properly test for, how often we are supposed to sample for it and how many samples we are supposed to take, how many samples we took, when samples should have been taken, and the date on which follow-up samples were taken.
Contaminant Table
| Contaminant |
Total number of samples required & frequency |
Time period for sample collection |
Number of valid samples taken |
Number of samples with complete analysis |
When samples were taken |
| TOC |
2 samples/quarterly |
January-March 2023 |
4 |
1 |
2/23/2023 & 3/24/2023 |
What happened? What is being done?
The WTP collected two separate sample sets and submitted them to two different certified laboratories. In each case, the laboratories were unable to complete a TOC analysis on the source water sample. Arnold AFB WTP is actively seeking another certified laboratory even though no corrective action was warranted. This is an attempt to prevent this issue from happening again.
For more information, please call 454-6232.
Please share this information with everyone who may drink this water, including those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, contractors without AEDC email addresses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
State Water System ID#: 0004408. Date distributed: 19 May 2023