Water Purification / Distribution

FACTS About PFAS 

 Frederick County is dedicated to protecting public health and safety by supplying safe, clean and reliable water to our customers and we support the EPA’s efforts to safeguard public drinking water supplies by addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS compounds.

Overview:

 PFAS are a group of over 6,000 man-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in home consumer products such as carpets, clothing, food packaging, and cookware since the 1940s. Two of these compounds—Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—have been the most extensively produced and studied, and there is evidence that exposure to elevated levels of PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans.

Water utilities are “passive receivers” of PFAS.  They do not produce or manufacture PFAS. Instead, these chemicals are present in source waters that are treated to produce drinking water. 

 Currently, there are no established federal water quality regulations for any PFAS compounds.  

 In 2016, the EPA established a Health Advisory (HA) of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS combined.  Unlike EPA regulations, EPA Health Advisories are non-enforceable and non-regulatory.

 In June 2022, EPA issued final HAs for perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HPFO-DA or GenX) and interim HAs for PFOS and PFOA.  

The EPA states that these interim health advisories will remain in place until EPA establishes a 

National Primary Drinking Water Regulation.  The new HAs are listed in the table below.  

 * At this time, the minimum reporting level (the lowest level that instruments can detect) is 4 ppt (according to EPA), therefore results cannot be quantified down to the EPA’s Interim HA for PFOS and PFOA.

In March 2023, EPA announced the proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOS and PFOA along with a Hazard Index for the combination of four other PFAS compounds.  EPA will now take the next steps in the regulatory development process before the proposed standards are finalized.  It is important to note that the proposed PFAS MCLs are not enforceable drinking water standards at this time.  The levels of the proposed standards are listed in the table below. 

Frederick County has been working with MDE as part of a state-wide effort to have all source water and treated water tested for PFAS since 2021. 

Frederick County Treated Water PFAS Test Results

If results are above the 2022 HA level or proposed MCLs, what does that mean for customers? 

This is not an emergency or a regulatory violation.  If it had been, customers would have been notified within 24 hours. 

• If customers are concerned about potential health effects from exposure to these PFAS compounds, EPA encourages you to contact your doctor or health care professional.
• At this time, EPA is not recommending bottled water for communities based solely on concentrations of these chemicals in drinking water that exceed the health advisory levels.

Frederick County’s Next Steps

 We are following the guidance of EPA and MDE:

• If treatment process changes are necessary, we will make them.
• Our next round of voluntary quarterly testing of finished water at every county owned Water Treatment facility will take place in April 2023. 
• Certain systems (New Design included) will be collecting PFAS samples in 2025 for the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5).

Advice for Customers to Reduce Exposure to PFAS - Drinking Water is just one pathway for exposure.

Support efforts to protect drinking water sources and keep PFAS out of water supplies.

• Install a treatment process where the water enters the home.  EPA recommends Activated Carbon, Ion Exchange, or High-pressure Membrane treatment.
• Cook with stainless steel, cast-iron, glass, or ceramics. Don’t use nonstick cookware.
• Read ingredient lists and choose products without PTFE or perfluoro- or polyfluor-.
• Look for coats, hats, and boots labeled water-resistant. They’re less likely to have PFAS than waterproof products.
• Make popcorn on the stove or in an air popper instead of microwave bags
• Avoid ordering food in grease-resistant wrappers or containers.

 Additional Resources:

 EPA’s PFAS Information:  https://www.epa.gov/pfas

• EPA’s Questions and Answers: Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA, PFOS, GenX Chemicals and PFBS:  https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/questions-and-answers-drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-pfos-genx-chemicals-and-pfbs#q9
• Maryland Department of Environment PFAS—Information on the Maryland Department of the Environment’s efforts to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Maryland’s Drinking Water Sources
• Center for Disease Control (CDC):  https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/PFAS_FactSheet.html 

• American Water Works Association (AWWA):  https://drinktap.org/Water-Info/Whats-in-My-Water/Per-and-Polyfluoroalkyl-Substances
• Environment Protection Agency:  www.epa.gov/sciencematters/reducing-pfas-drinking-water-treatment-technologies
•  EPA’s Proposed Standards:  https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas.                    

Water Treatment Plant Information

Request a Fire Hydrant Flow Test
Please complete the online Request for Fire Hydrant Flow Test. Your submission will be reviewed and you will be contacted with information about the processing of your request.

Bulk Water Pamphlet

Fluoridated Water Systems

The New Design System is fluoridated and supplies these communities and/or subdivisions:

• Adamstown
• Adamstown Commons
• Aspen
• Audubon
• Baldwin Estates
• Ballenger Creek Meadows
• Ballenger Crossing
• Balmoral
• Brinkley Manor
• Buckinghams Choice
• Canal Run
• Castle Hill
• Coldstream
• Countryside
• Crestwood Village
• Evergreen Point
• Fairwinds
• Farmbrook
• Foxcroft
• FSK Mall
•  Green Hill Manor
• Greens
• Greenview
• Hannover
• Holly Hills
• Jefferson Tech Park
• Jug Bridge
• Kingsbrook
• Lake Anita Louise
• Lake Linganore
• Landsdale
• Linton Farm
• Manors at Ballenger
• Meadows
• Meadows at New Market
• Mountain Village
• New Market West
• Nightingale
• North Shore
• Orchard at New Market
• Oxford Estates
• Pinecliff
• Pinehurst
• Point of Rocks
• Preston
• River Oaks
• Robin Meadows
• Royal Oaks
• Saddle Ridge
• Sponsellers Addition
• Spring Ridge
• Stonebridge
• Stuart Mechanic
• Summerfield
• Supply to Barren
• Town of New Market (portions)
• Train Station Overlook
• Urbana Greens
• Urbana Highlands
• Villages of Urbana
• Wellington Trace
• Westview Park
• Westwinds
• Whispering Creek
• Winding Ridge
• Woodlands
• Woodridge
• Woodspring
• Yeagerstown 

Fluoridated small water systems supply the following communities and/or subdivisions:

• Bradford Estates
• Cambridge Farms
• Clover Hill III
• Knolls of  Windsor
• Samhill Estates including Harvest Ridge
• Waterside

DWSU Lead and Copper Monitoring Summary

Assessments
The Maryland Department of the Environment has completed source-water assessments for each of the County’s water supplies. These assessments are used to implement source-water protection plans, which identify and prevent potential sources of contamination from entering your drinking water supply.

Plants
Click on the plant name below for more information: 

• Bradford Estates Water Treatment Plant 
• Cambridge Farms Water Treatment Plant   
• Copperfield Water Treatment Plant 
• Fountaindale Water Treatment Plant 
• Lake Linganore Water Treatment Plant 
• Libertytown Apartments Water Treatment Plant 
• Libertytown East Water Treatment Plant 
• New Design Water Treatment Plant 
• Mill Bottom Water Treatment Plant 
• White Rock Water Treatment Plant 
• Windsor Knolls Water Treatment Plant 

Frozen Pipes - The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has information on preventing this from happening in your home on their Protect Your Pipes web page.

Responsibilities

The Water Purification/Distribution Department is responsible for the operation of the County's water treatment plants and distribution systems.  

The County's primary water treatment facilities are staffed 24 hours per day, 7 day per week. Smaller satellite facilities are staffed to provide operator attention several hours per day, 7 days per week.  

This Department's certified operators provide routine daily operation of the County's water supply infrastructure to ensure that customers of the County's Public water systems receive water that continually complies with Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements.