City of Salibsury Public Water Systems Water Quality Report

DID YOU KNOW water quality reports, also known as “Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs),” are annual documents that all public water systems are required to provide to you via mail and online. These reports are supposed to provide important information about the quality of the drinking water delivered over the previous year.

They can be difficult to read or understand. They are often many pages long and contain complex tables and charts. Culligan Water wants to change this and help you MAKE SENSE OF YOUR WATER.

This easy-to-read report will provide you with the following:

The City of Salisbury Water Works Department produced approximately 1.9 billion gallons of drinking water for residents and businesses throughout the community. The City has invested in major water system upgrades, including improvements to the Park Plant raw water line, rehabilitation of the Paleo Well system, and installation of new monitoring equipment, but water quality issues persist.

Salisbury’s drinking water comes primarily from groundwater drawn from the Paleo Channel aquifer system.

Disinfection is used to remove harmful microorganisms and protect water quality as it travels through the system, however, it produces potentially harmful disinfection byproducts.

Salisbury’s drinking water contains naturally occurring minerals and compounds that can influence taste, scaling, and overall water “feel” in the home.

Hard water can lead to scale buildup on fixtures and inside appliances, and higher dissolved solids can impact taste. That’s why many homeowners consider softening and filtration for comfort, appliance protection, and taste.

Salisbury’s drinking water meets federal and state safety standards. However, like most municipal water supplies, it can still contain trace levels of substances that may affect taste, odor, or household water quality.

Some contaminants are monitored even though they do not yet have federal drinking water standards. These tests help regulators determine whether future limits should be established. The EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) program tracks these substances across public water systems.

Though Salisbury’s water quality report does not list an exact value, several sources note that the water is found to be soft to moderately hard. Salisbury’s water can contain naturally occurring minerals that may contribute to moderate hardness depending on household plumbing conditions.

Hard water is not a health concern, but it can cause:
• Mineral buildup on fixtures
• Soap scum on showers and sinks
• Reduced efficiency of water heaters and appliances
• Dry skin and hair

A water softener can help reduce scale buildup, improve cleaning performance, and extend the lifespan of water-using appliances.

PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are a group of man-made substances historically used in manufacturing, coatings, firefighting foam, and consumer products. Salisbury participates in national monitoring programs to track PFAS levels in drinking water. Testing conducted as part of the EPA’s monitoring program helps utilities understand how these contaminants may appear in water systems and how to address them.

Here are a few additional characteristics reported in Salisbury’s water monitoring results.