The Carroll Water Treatment Plant receives its drinking water from an intake in Lake Erie, which is located 1100 feet off the shore of Locust Point. Lake Erie is considered a surface water source and requires extensive treatment before it can be used as drinking water.
An auxiliary or back-up water source is installed at Turtle Creek Marina. This source was not utilized at any time in the reporting period. Furthermore, the Districts distribution system is interconnected with Ottawa County's and this back-up system was not used during 2015 or 2016.
Source water assessment and its availability
The Carroll Water and Sewer Public Water System uses surface water drawn from an intake in Lake Erie. For the purposes of source water assessments, in Ohio, all surface waters are considered to be susceptible to contamination. By their nature, surface waters are accessible and can be readily contaminated by chemicals and pathogens, with relatively short travel times from source to intake. Although the water system's surface water intake is located in Lake Erie, the proximity of several onshore sources increases the susceptibility of the source water to contamination. The Carroll Water and sewer Public Water system's drinking water source protection area is susceptible to contamination from leaking underground storage tanks, municipal waste-water treatment discharges, industrial waste water discharges, oil and gas production and transportation, and accidental releases and spills fro rail and vehicular traffic as well as from commercial shipping operations and recreational boating. The Carroll Water and Sewer Public Water System treats the water to meet drinking water quality standards, but no single treatment technique can address all potential contaminants. The potential for water quality impacts can be further decreased by implementing measures to protect Lake Erie. More information is provided in the Carroll Water and Sewer Public Water System's Drinking Water Source Assessment report, which can be obtained by calling Henry Biggert at 419-898-5028.