2014 water quality study released on Vance website Published June 8, 2015 By Capt. Trevor Sleight 71st Medical Operations Squadron VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 71st Medical Operations Squadron, Bioenvironmental Element released the 2014 Consumer Confidence Report, which is a broad summary of the water quality for Vance Air Force Base. According to Environmental Protection Agency regulations, a Consumer Confidence Report must be published within six months of the end of the calendar year that it covers. The report is a broad summary of different water parameters measured to ensure the health and wellbeing of the population served by a water system. Vance experienced one violation in September 2014, and health effects are believed to have resulted. Corrective measures were implemented to reduce water age and increase overall residual disinfectant to avoid a similar recurrence. One common question that Bioenvironmental Engineering here receives is whether the high mineral content in the Enid water is safe for drinking. The answer is yes; the minerals are not harmful. Much of the white residue that you find around sinks and in shower areas is calcium carbonate, which is a harmless (even healthy) nutrient commonly found in groundwater. Household vinegar can be used to dissolve this if it needs to be removed from a surface. Bioenvironmental Engineering can be contacted at 580-213-7241 for any questions related to Vance's water. Family housing residents should contact the housing office if they have any questions about their water. To access the water quality study, visit http://www.vance.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-150601-074.pdf.