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"This year we made a commitment to increase community engagement and involvement. Water and sewer services are vital and it's important we provide our customers with as much information as possible about the water supply and its value to the community."

- Director of Water Utilities, Mark Schaufler

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

For over 100 years, Lee’s Summit Water Utilities has been dedicated to serving the community with reliable water and sanitary sewer services to support the health and safety of our community. We have been fortunate to serve both customers within and outside the Lee's Summit city limits. Our total service area is over 70 square miles and consists of over 38,000 homes and businesses.

In 2021 we completed a number of projects as part of our Capital Improvement Plan. We launched a water main replacement project that allowed us to successfully replace over 4.8 miles of mainline. This project involved the replacement and rehabilitation of water distribution piping to ensure safe and quality water for our community.

This was a year of growth for Water Utilities and the community as a whole. We placed a total of 688 new taps as a result of the continued growth of the City. We have the capacity to supply 32.5 million gallons per day and are in the position to meet the anticipated water needs of our community for the next several decades.

This year we made a commitment to increase community engagement and involvement. Water and sewer services are vital and it's important we provide our customers with as much information as possible about the water supply and its value to the community. As our community grows, we continue our commitment to putting the health, safety and trust of our community first.

Yours Truly,

Director of Water Utilities, Mark Schaufler


What is a Water Quality Report? 

Water Utilities is pleased to deliver the 2022 Water Quality Report. This report is a summary of the quality of the water and contains the most recent water supply test results as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996. As in years past, there were no water quality violations during 2021. Our water, purchased from Kansas City and Independence, meets or exceeds all federal and state standards set by the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health. For the full list of monitoring results, refer to the chart within this report. Printed copies can be requested at 816.969.1900.

As required by law, all data in this report is from 2021. If a known health-related contaminant is not listed in this report, it was not detected during testing.


Where Does Your Water Come From? 

Lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and groundwater wells are the source of drinking water (tap and bottled water). As water travels over the surface of land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or human activity.

Water Utilities obtains its water from the cities of Kansas City and Independence. In the event of a water emergency, the utility has connections from Tri-County Water Authority. Independence supplies Lee’s Summit with up to 7.5 million gallons of water daily from wells located near the Missouri River. Lee’s Summit receives up to 25 million gallons of water a day from Kansas City. Water Utilities has secured sufficient water supply to meet the community’s needs for the next few decades.


639
miles of water main

14,535
valves in the distribution system for customers

5,486
hydrants for fire protection

4
pumping stations to sustain supply

9
water towers and storage tanks



 


500
public sewer mains move wastewater to
treatment plants

12,513
manholes allow access to sewer mains

22
pumping stations move wastewater to the
Little Blue Valley Sewer District's 
treatment plant

33,557
sewer accounts

4
billion gallons of wastewater treated
each year

Why Are There Contaminants in My Water?

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain small amounts of contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health risks can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800.426.4791.

Contaminants Often Found in Water

  • Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria. These may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
  • Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals. These can be naturally occurring or caused by urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
  • Pesticides and herbicides may come from sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses.
  • Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals. These are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production. They also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
  • Radioactive contaminants can occur naturally or be caused by oil and gas production and mining activities. 

In order to ensure tap water is safe to drink, the Department of Natural Resources prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Department of Health regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Health Precautions

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised individuals such as those undergoing chemotherapy, those who have undergone organ transplants, those with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, and some elderly and infants may be at risk. These persons should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, or to receive a copy of the Environmental Protection Agency/Centers for Disease Control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants, contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1.800.426.4791.

EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline
1.800.426.4791

Drop by Drop

To help visualize the units of measure reported here, these amounts are equivalent to: 

Part Per Million
(ppm)

1 drop in a
hot tub = 1 ppm

 

Part Per Billion
(ppb)

1 drop in an Olympic 
size swimming pool = 
1 ppb
 

Part Per Trillion 
(ppt)

1 drop in a
six-acre lake =
1 ppt
 

 

Highlights


Education
Actively speaking to schools and community 
groups about the value of water. 

Schedule a presentation
816.969.1921



 


NEW Water Bar
We are now able to provide safe, clean and great
tasting water at public events with our new water
bar. The bar is an important outreach tool that
provides the public with unlimited access to safe,
reliable and essential water. This delicious tap 
water is provided at no charge.

Visit our booth at Downtown Days
and Oktoberfest!


Call Center Program
In October 2021, a new CC WebEx call center
program launched and a customer service
representative was added.

These enhancements allow us to assist the
growing community in a more efficient and
timely manner.

 

 

Work for Water

We're Hiring!

Check out current opportunities at LSpeople.net

 

The Water Details

Disinfection Byproducts

Substance (unit of measure) Monitoring Period Sample Point MCL (MRDL) MCLG (MRDLG) LRAA Range
Low-High		 Typical Source
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-01 60 0 17 8.27 - 14.1 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-02 60 0 9 3.58 - 9.83 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-03 60 0 11 4.95 - 9.73 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-04 60 0 9 1.43 - 14.7 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-01 80 0 9 8.52 - 10.1 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-02 80 0 6 3.66 - 7.76 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-03 80 0 5 3.12 - 7.93 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2021 DBPDUAL-04 80 0 4 1.52 - 8.1 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection

 

Disinfection ByProducts

Substance (unit of measure) Sample Period Violation 90th percentile Range
Low-High		 AL Sites Over AL Typical Source
Copper (ppm) 2018-2020 No 0.00351 0.0-0.0093 1.3 0 Corrosion of household plumbing systems

 

Special Lead and Copper Notice

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Lee's Summit PWS is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1.800.426.4791 or at the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Microbiological

Substance (unit of measure) MCLG
[MRDLG]		 Violation Result MCL
[MRDL]		 Typical Source
Coliform (total coliform rule) 0 No     Naturally present in the environment

 

Reseller Regulated Contaminants

          Independence Water Kansas City Water  
Substance (unit of measure) Year Sampled Violation MCL [MRDL] MCLG [MRDLG] Highest Detected Range
Low-High		 Highest Detected Range
Low-Hight		 Typical Source
Atrazine (ppb) 2021 No 3 3 - - 0.456 0-0.456 Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Barium (ppm) 2021 No 2 2 0.0487 0.0487 0.0119 0.0119 Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride (ppm) 2021 No 4 4 0.2 0.2 0.556 0.556 Natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth
Nitrate - Nitrite (ppm) 2021 No 10 10 0.318 0.318 0.73 0.73 Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Selenium (ppb) 2021 No 50 50 - - 2.79 2.79 Erosion of natural deposits

 

Disinfection Byproducts

          Independence Water Kansas City Water  
Substance (unit of measure) Year Sampled Violation MCL [MRDL] MCLG [MRDLG] Highest RAA Range
Low-High		 Highest RAA Range
Low-High		 Typical Source
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] DBPDUAL-03 (ppb) 2021 No 60 N/A 4 0 - 5.09 14 7.04 - 20.8 Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2021 No 80 N/A 2 1.05 - 3.62 9 3.1 - 11.4 Byproduct of drinking water disinfection 

 

Reseller Violations and Health Effects Information

During the 2021 calendar year, the water we purchased from water system(s) had the below noted violation(s) of drinking water regulations:

No Violations occurred in the calendar year 2021.

 

Reseller Secondary Contaminants

          Independence Water Kansas City Water  
Substance (unit of measure) Year Sampled Violation       Range
Low-High		   Range
Low-High		  
Hardness, Total (as CAC03) 2021 No       131   131  

 

 

Terms, Abbreviations and Symbols

Population: 99,400. This is the equivalent residential population served including non-bill paying customers.

90th Percentile: For lead and copper testing. 10% of test results are above this level and 90% are below.

AL: Action level or the concentration of a contaminant which when exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

HAA5: Haloacetic Acids (mono-, di- and tri-chloroacetic acid and mono- and di- bromoacetic acid) as a group.

LRAA: Locational Running Annual Average or the locational average of sample analytical results for samples taken during the previous four calendar quarters.

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there are no known or expected health risks&. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level or the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment. 

N/A: Not Applicable. 

ND: Not Detectable at testing limits. 

NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Unit used to measure cloudiness in drinking water. 

PPB: Parts per Billion or micrograms per liter. 

PPM: Parts per Million or milligrams per liter. 

RAA: Running Annual Average or the average of sample analytical results for samples taken during the previous four calendar quarters. 

Range of Results: Shows the lowest and highest levels found during a testing period. If only one sample was taken, this number equals the Highest Test Result or Highest Value. 

SMCL: Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level or the secondary standards that are non-enforceable guidelines for contaminants, may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor or color) in drinking water. EPA recommends these standards but does not require water systems to comply. 

TT: Treatment Technique or a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. 

TTHM: Total Trihalomethanes (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform) as a group.