Routine testing turned up a small problem in the Sparks area water system, and Baltimore's Department of Public Works wants residents to know about it but not panic. A single monitoring location showed a running annual average of total trihalomethanes, or TTHMs, that slightly exceeded the federal drinking-water standard. About 600 services received drinking-water quality notices, yet DPW is stressing that the exceedance is minor, the water is still considered safe to drink, and there is no boil-water order. Officials say there is no immediate health risk, although residents who are pregnant, have infants, are older adults, or have severely compromised immune systems are advised to talk with their health care provider if they are worried.
DPW Sends Notices After Quarterly Monitoring
According to WMAR-2 News, the notices went out after quarterly monitoring showed that the locational running annual average at a Sparks sampling site edged just over the 80-ppb threshold. The station notes that the city is directing residents to an online FAQ and interactive map that lets customers check whether their address falls inside the affected zone.
Where The Exceedance Was Detected
In a FAQ from the Baltimore City Department of Public Works, officials explain that four consecutive quarterly samples at monitoring location 10 Loveton Circle averaged 81 parts per billion. That is one part per billion above the federal maximum contaminant level of 80 ppb. The department notes that the maximum contaminant level is calculated as a running annual average, not a one-time spike, and that sending the notice satisfies state and federal public-notification rules.
What TTHMs Are And Why They Spike
TTHMs are disinfection byproducts that form when chlorine used to treat drinking water reacts with natural organic material in the source water. Regulators cap the locational running annual average at 80 ppb to limit potential risks from long-term exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency's rules on disinfectants and disinfection byproducts require systems to perform routine monitoring and to notify the public whenever those averages go over the standard. Warmer source water and higher levels of organic matter can lead to more TTHM formation, according to EPA information that explains both the monitoring framework and the health rationale.
DPW Steps And What Residents Should Know
DPW says it is already making operational changes to bring levels back down. Those steps include drawing more raw water from deeper, colder layers of the reservoir, adjusting treatment processes at the Montebello water treatment plants, and carrying out targeted hydrant flushing in parts of the distribution system. The department will continue quarterly monitoring and treatment tweaks until the system is firmly back within the federal limit.
Customers in the affected part of Baltimore County can call 443-263-2220 for more information. DPW also maintains an online map and FAQ so residents can confirm whether their service address was included in the recent notice, and officials are reiterating that, while they are required to report the exceedance, the water is not under any do-not-drink or boil advisory.
