The city of Franklin and the towns of Windsor and Courtland recently completed their annual drinking water consumer confidence reports for 2016. The reports, which are mandated by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, detail the results of each municipality’s testing of its drinking water for contaminants such as lead, microbes, chemicals and alpha and beta particles.

The reports for each municipality indicate that all sources of water within the city of Franklin and the towns of Windsor and Courtland meet or exceed the quality standards set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Health. The only potential concern, which appeared on all three municipalities’ reports, was a a warning about slightly elevated levels of fluoride.

According to each report, fluoride, at low levels can help prevent cavities, but at concentrations of more than two milligrams per liter, can cause a cosmetic dental problem known as dental fluorosis in children age 9 and under.

The reports explain that dental fluorosis may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth, and can only occur in developing teeth before they erupt from the gums.

The city of Franklin reported fluoride levels of between 3.2 to 3.57 mg/l. Windsor reported between 2.9 to 3.7 mg/l and Courtland reported 4.04 mg/l.

All three municipalities rely on well water and currently do not operate water treatment plants. More information on the city of Franklin’s water quality and a copy of the completed report may be obtained at www.franklinva.com/government/departments/public-works/forms-and-documents/. Windsor’s and Courtland’s reports are not presently available online but may be obtained by calling the town offices at 242-4288 (Windsor) or 653-2222 (Courtland.)

Results for unincorporated communities in Isle of Wight County may be obtained at www.iwus.net/wq/.  Results for Southampton communities that receive county water may be obtained at www.southamptoncounty.org (current as of 2015.)

*Original article, titled “City, towns release 2016 water quality reports”, online at http://www.tidewaternews.com/2017/07/05/city-towns-release-2016-water-quality-reports/