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CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT <br />Some People Are More Vulnerable to Contaminants in Drinking Water <br />Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. <br />Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have <br />undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and <br />infants can be particularly at risk from infections. The developing fetus and therefore pregnant women <br />may also be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water. These people or their caregivers should <br />seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) <br />guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial <br />contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. <br />Learn More about Your Drinking Water <br />Drinking Water Sources <br />Minnesota's primary drinking water sources are groundwater and surface water. Groundwater is the water <br />found in aquifers beneath the surface of the land. Groundwater supplies 75 percent of Minnesota's <br />drinking water. Surface water is the water in lakes, rivers, and streams above the surface of the land. <br />Surface water supplies 25 percent of Minnesota's drinking water. <br />Contaminants can get in drinking water sources from the natural environment and from people's daily <br />activities. There are five main types of contaminants in drinking water sources. <br />Microbial contaminants, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Sources include sewage treatment <br />plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, pets, and wildlife. <br />Inorganic contaminants include salts and metals from natural sources (e.g. rock and soil), oil and gas <br />production, mining and farming operations, urban stormwater runoff, and wastewater discharges. <br />Pesticides and herbicides are chemicals used to reduce or kill unwanted plants and pests. Sources <br />include agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and commercial and residential properties. <br />Organic chemical contaminants include synthetic and volatile organic compounds. Sources include <br />industrial processes and petroleum production, gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic <br />systems. <br />Radioactive contaminants such as radium, thorium, and uranium isotopes come from natural sources <br />(e.g. radon gas from soils and rock), mining operations, and oil and gas production. <br />The Minnesota Department of Health provides information about your drinking water source(s) in a source <br />water assessment, including: <br />• How Ramsey is protecting your drinking water source(s); <br />• Nearby threats to your drinking water sources; <br />• How easily water and pollution can move from the surface of the land into drinking water sources, <br />based on natural geology and the way wells are constructed. <br />Find your source water assessment at Source Water Assessments <br />(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/swp/swa) or call 651-201-4700 or 1- <br />800-818-9318 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. <br />PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY IDENTIFICATION (PWSID): 1020035 PAGE 8 <br />