WATER QUALITY

WATER SYSTEM RESOURCES

Acquiring, maintaining and distributing pristine water resources are the primary operational responsibilities and priorities of the Bartow County Water Department. The vast majority (92%) of our water resources are obtained through contracts with the Cities of Adairsville, Cartersville, and Emerson and from Water Purchase Agreements with the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, Cherokee County Water & Sewerage Authority, and the Polk County Water, Sewer & Solid Waste Authority. The remaining water supply (8%) is provided by our independently owned and operated Bolivar Spring Pump Station located in northeastern Bartow County. Surface water withdrawn from Lake Allatoona in eastern Bartow County by our major suppliers constitutes approximately 81% of the total potable (drinkable) water volume within our Water Utility System. Annually, the Bartow County Water Department is responsible for processing, treating and distributing over 1.7 Billion Gallons (4.65 Million Gallons-Per-Day) of water to our serviced Customers.

WATER QUALITY TESTING

Water Quality Tests are routinely performed throughout the Bartow County Water System to ensure that our water resources either meet or exceed the minimum National Drinking Water Standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) within the Safe Drinking Water Act adopted into Federal law on December 16, 1974. The United States Congress amended this article of legislation in 1996, requiring public water utility providers to publish and distribute "Annual Water Quality Reports" detailing their most recent drinking water analysis test results to their serviced customers, local community, general public and other interested parties. The most recent Bartow County Water Department Water Quality Report can be obtained inside our main administrative office located @ 50 Nelson Street; Cartersville, Georgia 30120, mailed upon individual request or by selecting the following link: Bartow County Water Department Water Quality Report.  For additional information, questions or comments regarding drinking Water Quality Testing regulations please contact Mr. Gary Evans, Bartow County Water Department Plant Operator/Technical Coordinator @ (770) 607-6309; visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official website at www.epa.gov/safewater; or contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline @ 1-800-426-4791. The Bartow County Water Department is pleased to report that drinking Water Quality Tests performed upon this public utility system have shown our water resources to be safe, exceeding all water quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result of consistently safe drinking water quality testing results regarding lead and copper levels, the Bartow County Water Department has been placed on a reduced monitoring testing program for these particular minerals. Our department has also received testing waivers for previously undetected substances confirmed by environmental researchers to have a minuscule probability of contaminating our water resources. Note: Bartow County Water Department Personnel must obtain water samples from Bartow County Water System Customers that request to have their drinking water tested for water quality. Bartow County Residents that utilize in-ground wells and request to have their drinking water tested for water quality must submit their water samples to the City of Cartersville Water Department Lab @ (770) 387-5681 located at 102 Walnut Grove Road; Cartersville, GA 30120.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

The Bartow County Water Department currently operates and maintains two (2) Wastewater Treatment Plants: Southeast Bartow County Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Paga Mine Road and Two Run Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Brown Loop. These Wastewater Treatment Plants collect, purify and distribute a combined total of approximately 300,000 gallons of treated wastewater into local waterways every day. Our wastewater treatment processes are closely monitored by the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and our department is required to collect a minimum of two (2) samples per month from each plant and submit them to Analytical Environmental Services (AES) for analysis. The Bartow County Water Department also submits monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) to the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) based upon these testing results to confirm total compliance with EPD wastewater treatment regulations and wastewater discharge quality standards.

For additional information regarding Bartow County Water Department Wastewater Treatment, please contact Mr. Gary Evans, Plant Operator/Technical Coordinator @ (770) 607-6309.

BACKFLOW PREVENTION (BFP)/CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM

The Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has mandated our department to establish and implement a Backflow Prevention (BFP)/Cross-Connection Control Program which requires that every non-residential and in-ground/automated irrigation system service connection within our Water Utility System must have a testable Backflow Prevention (BFP) Assembly Device installed and subsequently tested for operational performance on an annual basis. The implementation of this program provides further protection of our Water Utility System resources against possible cross-contamination between our Water Utility System service mains and its associated Water Service Connections. Bartow County Water System Customers that are required to have Backflow Prevention Devices tested annually are mailed a "Backflow Prevention (BFP) Assembly Annual Testing Notification" from our department along with an Approved Backflow Prevention Testers List on the 1st of their scheduled testing month and have thirty (30) calendar days to submit a completed Assembly Test Data & Maintenance Report Form. Failure to comply with Backflow Prevention/Crossing-Connection Control Program installation and/or testing requirements will results in Water Service Disconnection Procedures pursuant to the "Bartow County Water Service and Conservation Ordinance: Title IV. Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention; Section 14C(2)" which states: (2) The customer shall immediately install approved backflow prevention device(s) as required and directed by the department at the customer’s own expense. The customer has the duty to maintain approved backflow prevention device(s) at all times. If a device so requires, the customer shall have the device tested annually or whenever deemed necessary by the department. The customer shall retain and provide testing results performed by an approved tester to the department as requested. Failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install, have tested and maintain the device or to report testing results shall subject the customer to the enforcement provisions of this Ordinance.

For additional information regarding the Bartow County Backflow Prevention (BFP)/Cross-Connection Control Program, please contact Mr. Michael Yancey, MIS/Administrative Assistant/BFP Coordinator @ (678) 721-5489.

PLEASE CONTACT OUR MAIN OFFICE @ (770) 387-5170 TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH YOUR WATER AND/OR SEWER SERVICE. EMERGENCY SERVICE CALLS SUBMITTED TO OUR DEPARTMENT AFTER REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS AND ON HOLIDAYS WILL BE PROCESSED BY OUR ON-CALL SERVICE PROVIDER: PROCORE SOLUTIONS®.

{Website Designed By : Mr. Michael Yancey, Bartow County Water Department MIS/Administrative Assistant}