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THE KANSAS LIFELINE

July 2018

The total monitoring record supports the conclusion that

the system’s water is not causing significant corrosion and

that the levels of lead and copper are very low in the

drinking water.

Unfortunately, the system has taken time to sample the

water, has paid for the analyses, and has paid for the

shipping for an estimated 36 samples that were not required.

All of this was done for a high quality drinking water that is

very low in lead and copper.

Be vigilant on sampling requirements and costs

The requirements for monitoring the drinking water are

complicated in the details. Thus, sometimes samples can be

unnecessarily collected. This results in unnecessary costs.

Operators and managers must keep detailed records and

make sure which samples are required.

The sampling requirements for lead and copper, and the

sampling for disinfection byproducts –trihalomethanes

(THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) –are especially

complicated due to changes in sampling schedules

determined by good or bad sampling results. If you have

questions or uncertainties about the number of samples or

frequency, or about the sampling results, KRWA encourages

you to contact KDHE or you may also contact KRWA for

answers. KRWA staff members are available to assist you in

determining whether samples are required or not.

Samples Collected vs. Required

The three high lead samples in 2014

are uncharacteristic when compared

to all the other samples. KRWA staff

believe that those three samples may

have been from unoccupied

residences or incorrect faucets.

Pat McCool has worked as a consultant to KRWA

since January 2004. He previously worked for

KDHE for 30 years. Pat has a bachelor degree in

Chemical Engineering and a masters degree 

in Environmental Engineering from the 

University of Kansas.