Friendsville Water System
Updated 4/29/26
The Garrett County Government manages the Town of Friendsville's water system. Thus, we routinely monitor the presence of drinking water contaminants.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
RELATED TO HALOACETIC ACIDS (HAA5) IN YOUR DRINKING WATER
The Friendsville water system recently exceeded a maximum contaminant level (MCL), for HAA5. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did (are doing) to correct this situation. The MCL for HAA5 is 60 parts per billion. The level(s) of HAA5 at the sampling location was 63 parts per billion (ppb).
There is nothing you need to do. You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. Should a situation ever arise where the water is not safe to drink, you will be notified immediately.
QUESTION: WHAT ARE HALOACETIC ACIDS (HAA5) AND WHY DO I NEED TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THEY ARE PRESENT IN THE DRINKING WATER?
ANSWER: Haloacetic acids are disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter in drinking water. Consuming large quantities of MCL Haa5 water over a lifetime may increase health risks. Federal and state regulations require notification whenever the locational running annual average (LRAA) exceeds the (MCL) of 60 ppb.
QUESTION: HAVE I BEEN PUT AT RISK BECAUSE I DRANK WATER WITH HAA5 ABOVE THE STANDARD?
ANSWER: No immediate health effects occur from short-term exposure. Health concerns are associated with long-term exposure over many years. Even if an exceedance occurred for part of a year, this does not equal long-term exposure. The risk of not disinfecting drinking water—and exposing people to microorganisms that can cause illnesses—outweighs the long-term, low-level risk of DBPs. Maryland Department of the Environment requires the use of chlorine disinfection in the Friendsville water system.
QUESTION: IF THE WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK, WHY AM I GETTING THIS NOTICE?
ANSWER: MDE regulations require public notice when the MCL is exceeded. This ensures you are informed of water quality changes.
QUESTION: WHAT IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THE EXCEEDANCE?
ANSWER: Water systems use several approaches to reduce HAA5 formation, including flushing areas of low circulation, optimizing disinfection processes, and improving treatment to remove natural organic matter.
The County has taken the following actions to reduce HAA5 levels in the water system.
replaced filter media
adjusted chlorine levels
installing an additional source water screen
initiated design of a Granulated Activated Carbon GAC filtration system
Monitoring chlorine levels and filters are ongoing. The additional source water screen will be installed within the next 30 days, and a new charcoal filtering system will be installed within the next 90 days.
QUESTION: WILL THESE STEPS ELIMINATE THE HALOACETIC ACID PROBLEM?
ANSWER: They will significantly reduce HAA levels, but complete elimination depends on source water quality, seasonal conditions, and treatment dynamics.
QUESTION: WHY DID THIS NOTICE COME WEEKS AFTER THE TESTING PERIOD?
ANSWER: Laboratory analysis of HAA samples requires several weeks. After results confirm an exceedance, state regulators review the findings, and the utility must prepare, approve, and distribute the notice within the required 30-day timeframe.
QUESTION: WHAT ASSURANCE CAN YOU GIVE ME THAT THIS WILL NOT CONTINUE?
ANSWER: While no water system can guarantee that DBPs will never form, continuous monitoring, operational evaluations, system improvements, and increased Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) transparency help ensure compliance and improvement over time.
