PRESS RELEASE

West Morgan-East Lawrence Water and Sewer Authority

As promised in earlier press releases, the West Morgan – East Lawrence Water & Sewer Authority (WMELWSA) is reporting information about the levels of PFOS and PFOA in its drinking water.

The most recent set of samples we tested were collected at our water plant. The test

results indicate non-detectable levels of PFOS and 25 parts of PFOA. Each individual result was below the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) health advisory guideline of 70, and the combined result of 25 parts is below the EPA’s combined advisory guideline of 70.

We began purchasing water from Decatur Utilities on Wed., June 8, 2016. On

Mon., June 13, we received confirmation that the process of blending our water with water purchased from Decatur Utilities has been effective throughout our distribution system. We confirmed this by testing for fluoride, which Decatur Utilities feeds in their finished water and we do not.

After confirmation of the blending of the waters, we collected three additional samples, one each from the north and south ends of our distribution system and one at the water plant, on Mon., June 13, and sent them to the laboratory for testing for PFOS and PFOA. We expect the results of those samples to be received the week of June 20th and will report the results of those samples when we receive them. Provided that these results are satisfactory, we are hopeful that the Alabama Department of Public Health will remove us from the list of water systems it has identified whose combined levels of PFOS/PFOA are above the EPA health advisory levels.

WMELWSA will continue to purchase up to 2.8 million gallons of water per day from

Decatur Utilities and blend it with the water we produce in an effort to stay below the EPA health advisory levels until the granular activated carbon filtration system can be installed at the water treatment plant. That process remains on track.

Until that time, WMELWSA will take regular confirmation samples to verify that the

water provided to our customers remains below the EPA Advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS.

WMELWSA management will continue to inform the public of test results when they are received.