This information is to provide an update to customers of the Town of Norwood water system. Customers of the Town received notices in January and April that the levels of Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) exceeded water standards for the last quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. The standard is 0.060. The values for the last quarter of 2024 were 0.065 and for the first quarter of 2025 were 0.061. It is important to note that exceedance of the standard only occurred in the last quarter of 2024. However, this is required to be reported on a rolling average of three quarters, so the exceedance in the last quarter of 2024 was averaged into these calculations. There have been no exceedances of HAA5 in 2025 to date.
HAA5 is a disinfection byproduct that occurs when chlorine that is used to treat water interacts with naturally occurring organic matter. There appear to be higher levels of organic matter in Lake Tillery during the last quarter of 2024 which resulted in the exceedance in that quarter. The Water Treatment Plant Operator increased chemical treatment after receiving the results of the testing for the last quarter, and that has contributed to the desired result of no exceedances to the standard in 2025.