Notifications regarding the City of Watertown's drinking water reached mailboxes Tuesday. Our Amanda Kelley tells us about some elevated contaminates in the water and what people should know about them.

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WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- Before you grab a glass of water in the City of Watertown, you may want to check your mail. A letter sent to residents tells of an increase in a contaminant in the water called haloacetic acid.

The EPA sets the maximum contaminant level at 60 micrograms per liter based on a running average of four quarterly tests. The city's current running average is slightly elevated at 62.

Water Superintendent Gary Pilon said, "I've been water superintendent for close to 25 years and this is the first time we've exceeded a maximum contaminant level."

Although it's not certain, the city believes it's due to repairs made this past summer on the Black River Dam when water levels were lower than usual.

Pilon said, "It probably stirred up more sediment in the basin than normally we would have stirred up and we sincerely believe that's what caused the little bit higher readings that we obtained this time around."

The work was completed late fall and they're hoping the levels bounce back in the next quarter's testing.

Everyone who gets their water from the city received one of these notices in the mail, telling them about the increased contamination levels. But that doesn't mean you have to take extra precautions like filtering or boiling your water.

Pilon said, "This letter is merely a statement of it's a right to know type of thing, the fact that we did exceed the levels."

Haloacetic acid in water can cause some health risks. The State Health Department says people who drank contaminated water for 20 or 30 years show an increased risk for some types of cancer. Lab animals exposed showed some liver, kidney and nervous system effects. Watertown is only dealing with short term elevated levels for now.

Pilon said, "Nobody really knows exactly what the ultimate exposure level needs to be before it's going to kick in and be harmful."

If the average doesn't go down with the next sample, residents may see another letter in their mailbox this June.

Anyone with questions about their drinking water is encouraged to call the City of Watertown Water Plant Operator or the New York State Department of Health.