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"Lee's Summit Water Utilities is pleased to release the 2023 Water Quality Report. We have been serving our community for over 100 years and take great pride in the essential work being done each day to provide safe and reliable water and sanitary sewer services to the community."

- Director of Water Utilities, Mark Schaufler

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Lee's Summit Water Utilities is pleased to release the 2023 Water Quality Report. We have been serving our community for over 100 years and take great pride in the essential work being done each day to provide safe and reliable water and sanitary sewer services to the community. This report is a crucial tool in ensuring our community has access to safe and clean drinking water every day. We are dedicated to providing high-quality water to our customers and are committed to maintaining a high level of service.

In 2022, we completed and released the results of our 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey. The survey showed high overall satisfaction with the quality of water and sanitary sewer services. It also indicated that a large part of the community isn’t aware this report is available annually. We encourage all residents to look over the report and reach out to us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for trusting Lee's Summit Water Utilities with your water needs.

Yours Truly,

Director of Water Utilities, Mark Schaufler


What is a Water Quality Report? 

Lee's Summit Water Utilities is pleased to deliver the 2023 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. 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 2022. 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 with additional suppliers in the area. 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 That May be Present in Source 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

Customer Satisfaction

Lee’s Summit Water Utilities is proud to have an overall high customer satisfaction rating from the 2022 Customer Survey conducted by ETC Institute. The survey was developed to objectively assess customer satisfaction with the delivery of water and sewer services.

Sign Up for e-Billing

There’s an easier way!  Customers are able to pay their water bill online with UtilityPay. It’s safe, secure, and provides convenient online access to accounts, electronic billing, and consumption history.

Paperless Billing

Community Education

Lee’s Summit Water Utilities is actively speaking to school and community groups about the value of water.

For more information contact sarah.miller@cityofls.net.

2022 Wastewater Master Plan

Lee’s Summit Water Utilities has developed the 2022 Wastewater Master Plan which addresses the City’s wastewater needs and challenges for the next 20 years (through 2043).

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) 2022 DBPDUAL-01 60 0 11 6.16 - 14.1 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-02 60 0 9 3.08 - 14.8 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-03 60 0 8 2.57 - 12.7 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-04 60 0 7 2.88 - 8.99 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-01 80 0 8 2.7 - 10.8 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-02 80 0 5 1.26 - 7.05 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-03 80 0 5 1.17 - 6.21 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2022 DBPDUAL-04 80 0 5 1.04 - 6.59 A byproduct of drinking water disinfection

 

Lead and Copper

Substance (unit of measure) Sample 
Period		 Violation 90%
Tile		 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
Lead (ppb) 2018 - 2020 No 0 0 15 0 Corrosion of household plumbing systems

 

Microbiological

Substance (unit of measure) MCLG
[MRDLG]		 Violation Result MCL
[MRDL]		 Typical Source
Coliform (total coliform rule) 0 No In June, 1.96% of samples 
returned as positive		 Treatment Technique
Trigger		 Naturally present in the environment

 

Violations and Health Effects Information

During the 2022 calendar year, we had the below-noted violations(s) of drinking water regulations.

Compliance Period Type Reason for Violation
5/1/22 - 5/31/22 Monitoring, Routine, Minor (RTCR) State-designated courier failed to deliver samples to State Public Health Laboratory within the required timeframe
for E. COLI testing during this period.

 

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.

 

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
Barium (ppm) 2022 No 2 2 0.0487 0.0487 0.0196 0.0196 Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
Fluoride (ppm) 2022 No 4 4 0.2 0.2 0.602 0.602 Natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth
Nitrate - Nitrite (ppm) 2022 No 10 10 0.31 0.31 2.04 2.04 Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Selenium (ppb) 2022 No 50 50 - - 1.86 1.86 Erosion of natural deposits

 

Disinfection Byproducts

          Independence Water Kansas City Water  
Substance (unit of measure) Year Sampled Violation MCL [MRDL] MCLG [MRDLG] Highest LRAA Range
Low-High		 Highest LRAA Range
Low-High		 Typical Source
Haloacetic Acids [HAA5] DBPDUAL-03 (ppb) 2022 No 60 0 3 1.58 - 4.99 15 4.08 - 24.5 Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) 2022 No 80 0 2 .84 - 3.56 9 1.25 - 12.1 Byproduct of drinking water disinfection 

 

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.