What 'Detected', 'Median' and 'Range' Mean in the Sampling Record on This Page
When reviewing water quality reports for perchlorate in Area 05's public water system, it is important to understand the terms detected, median, and range. A detection means an instrument measured perchlorate at a specific level during sampling. However, detection does not imply any violation or safety concern by itself. The median refers to the middle value of all detected measurements, providing a typical concentration reported during testing. The range shows the span between the lowest and highest perchlorate levels measured within the sampling period. These terms describe the presence of perchlorate in the system based on instruments but do not establish individual household water conditions.
How Many Samples and Wells Stand Behind the Figures, and What a Small Sample Means
The perchlorate data from Area 05 comes from two sampling events conducted between July and December 2002 under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. Both tests reported perchlorate below the reporting level of 4.0 micrograms per liter, so no quantified concentration was recorded. Sampling covered the system's public sources rather than individual wells. A small number of samples like this provides a snapshot rather than a comprehensive or ongoing picture, indicating that household water can vary. Testing your own water is necessary to know your exact perchlorate levels.
A Worked Example: Reading the Record's Median and Range as a Homeowner Would
For the Stockbridge-Munsee system serving Area 05, the perchlorate monitoring results showed no detection above the reporting level. This means that perchlorate was either not present or present at levels below what the instruments could reliably measure. The median perchlorate concentration is effectively below the detection threshold, and the range spans from no detection up to less than 4.0 micrograms per liter. As a homeowner, this indicates that the system's water historically has very low or undetectable perchlorate, but only a private test can confirm this for your specific household water.
How the Documented Treatment Technology Removes or Neutralizes the Constituent
When perchlorate presence in household water is confirmed and a reduction is desired, a Fleck Perchlorate Filter offers a proven technology designed for this purpose. This system uses specialized filtration media capable of adsorbing perchlorate ions from water, reducing their concentration before they reach faucets. The Fleck System ships ready to configure with household plumbing and requires no additional chemical additives. It can be selected according to the level of perchlorate measured and the daily water volume your household uses.
What Questions a Commercial or Industrial Operator Adds That a Household Does Not
Unlike household water users, commercial or industrial operators need to consider regulatory standards that may apply to perchlorate, the scale of water treatment required by process demands, and potential impacts on equipment or product quality. They may have to address more complex monitoring, reporting, and compliance obligations and assess how perchlorate interacts with other water constituents. Households, in contrast, focus on personal health and appliance protection, relying primarily on testing and selecting an appropriate filtration unit like the Fleck Perchlorate Filter.
In summary, Area 05's public water system has no recorded perchlorate detections above the reporting threshold, reflecting low levels in regional public sources. Deciding on household treatment requires testing your own water to confirm perchlorate presence. If treatment is needed, the Fleck Perchlorate Filter is a direct-purchase option designed to reduce perchlorate effectively for residential use.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2002-12-03. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR1 monitoring (2001-2005) for STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE (055295001), 05: 2 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level