HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2018 (published in 2019)The Otay Water District is pleased to
provide you with the annual Consumer Confidence
Report for calendar year 2018. This report presents a
snapshot of 2018 water quality in the District’s
service area. Included are details about where your
water comes from, what it contains, and how it
compares to California state standards.
The information included in this water quality
report represents only a small part of what we do to
ensure high quality drinking water. Using one or more
state-certified laboratories, we routinely inspect and
scrutinize the water supply for a range of elements
that have the potential to degrade the quality of your
water. Only compounds detected in water sources are
included in this report.
As in years past, your tap water met all U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and State
Water Resources Control Board (State Board), Division
of Drinking Water, health standards. The Otay Water
District is vigilant in safeguarding its water supplies.
We are once again proud to report that our system
has met all water quality standards, and it has never
exceeded a health-related maximum contaminant
level.
About The Otay Water District
The Otay Water District is a California special
district established by the State Legislature in 1956
as a public water service provider. Today, the District
delivers water to approximately 225,000 customers
within roughly 125 square miles of Southeastern
San Diego County, including the communities of
Otay Mesa, Chula Vista, Jamul, Spring Valley, Rancho
San Diego, and unincorporated areas of El Cajon and
La Mesa.
The District purchases 100 percent of its treated
water. Approximately 85 percent is an imported
blend from the Colorado River and the California
State Water Project. Fifteen percent of the District’s
treated water comes from local supplies, including
local water storage within the County and desalinated
seawater from the Pacific Ocean. The District
purchases its treated water from the Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California’s R.A. Skinner
Treatment Plant, the San Diego County Water
Authority’s Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant,
the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, and the Helix Water
District’s R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant.
Your Consumer
Confidence Report
2
Source Water Assessments
Sources of water delivered by the District can
include the Colorado River, the State Water Project,
and local supplies. The agencies that supply treated
drinking water to the District, including the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California,
San Diego County Water Authority, and Helix Water
District, are required to perform source water
assessments on their raw water supplies. If you
would like copies of the source water assessments,
contact System Operations Manager Jake Vaclavek
at (619) 670-2230.
Public Participation
The District encourages public participation from
the customers we serve. The District’s Board of
Directors generally meets on the first Wednesday of
each month at 3:30 p.m. at the District headquarters,
located at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring
Valley, CA 91978. We encourage the public to attend
these meetings or listen to them live via audio
streaming at otaywater.gov.
For directions, agendas, and additional information,
please call (619) 670-2222 or visit otaywater.gov.
Safety
Sources of drinking water can include the ocean,
rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and
wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or
through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring
minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material. It
can also pick up substances resulting from the
presence of animals or from human activity.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may
reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of
contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water
poses a health risk. To ensure that tap water is safe
to drink, the USEPA and the State Board prescribe
regulations that limit the amount of certain
contaminants in water provided by public water
systems. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
regulations and California law also establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water that must provide the
same protection for public health.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contami-
nants in drinking water than the general population.
Immunocompromised persons, such as persons with
cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have
undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS
or other immune system disorders, some elderly,
and infants can be particularly at risk of infections.
These people should seek advice about drinking tap
water from their health-care providers. The USEPA
and the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines on
appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by
Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants
are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
(800) 426-4791.
More information about contaminants and potential
health effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA’s
Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or
visiting epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water.
3
Concerns Over Lead In
The Water Supply
None of the Otay Water District’s 727 miles of
potable water mains or service lines are made of lead.
In addition, the District is required by the USEPA to
collect water samples from select homes and to test
that water under the USEPA’s Lead and Copper Rule.
In the District’s service area, lead levels are well below
USEPA standards, and 100 percent of water samples
showed lead levels below the detection limit of five
parts per billion.
In January 2018, Assembly Bill 746 took effect,
requiring community water systems to sample for
lead in drinking water at public K-12 schools,
preschools, and child day care facilities on public
school properties. The District has until July 1, 2019,
to test the potable water system of the school sites
with buildings constructed before January 1, 2010, or
buildings that have not had testing for lead completed
since January 1, 2009. As of December 2018, the
District tested 45 out of the 66 schools in its service
area. The remaining 21 schools have either conducted
their own lead testing or are not public schools. The
District is responsible for the costs associated with
collecting drinking water samples, sample analysis,
and review and reporting of the results to the schools
and to the State. At or below 15 parts per billion is
considered safe for a water system. If a school’s water
system is tested at more than 15 parts per billion, it
is the responsibility of the school to take corrective
action. If you would like to learn more about lead in
drinking water, visit the USEPA’s website at
epa.gov/lead.
Contaminants That May Be Present
In Source Water
• Microbial contaminants such as viruses and
bacteria that may come from sewage treatment
plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock
operations, and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals
that can be naturally occurring or result from
urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic
wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining, or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides that may come from
a variety of sources, such as agriculture, urban
stormwater runoff, and residential uses.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including
synthetic and volatile organic chemicals that are
by-products of industrial processes and petroleum
production, and that can also come from gas
stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural
application, and septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants that can be naturally
occurring or be the result of oil and gas production
and mining activities.
Contaminants That May Be Present
In Home Plumbing Systems
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. The Otay Water
District is responsible for providing high quality
drinking water, but the District cannot control the
variety of materials used in plumbing components.
When your water has been sitting for several hours,
you can minimize the potential of lead exposure by
running your faucet for 30 seconds to two 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 through the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791
or at epa.gov/lead.
Only 1 Minutein 1,902 Years
Only 1 Cent in $10 Million
Only 1 Dropin an Olympic-Sized Swimming Pool
(160 feet in length and about six to nine feet in depth)
1
Part
Per
Billion
(1 PPB)
Is
Equivalent
To:
4
The Truth About Tap Water
Beliefs: Surveys have found that most consumers
who drink bottled water do so because they enjoy
its taste or its portable convenience. Others drink
bottled water because they believe it to be more
pure or safer than their tap water.
The Truth: Did you know that the average bottle of
water can cost up to 1,000 times more than tap
water? Despite what its higher cost would lead us
to believe, estimates are that 25 percent or more
of the bottled water on the market is simply
repackaged tap water.
Tap water is regulated by the USEPA under the
Safe Drinking Water Act, while bottled water
is considered a food and is thus regulated by
the FDA. Though some bottlers may voluntarily
exceed FDA standards, both bottled water and
public water supplies in the United States must
meet similar standards for safe drinking water.
For more information, visit drinktap.org.
Your Options: It’s important to know that you have
other, more affordable options to bottled water.
Chill a pitcher of tap water in your
refrigerator
Fill your refillable water bottles or
thermoses with water from a chilled
water pitcher. It is environmentally
friendly and allows for an inexpensive
way to achieve refreshing portability.
Residential water treatment
devices
Another possibility is to install a home
water filter system. The systems are
convenient, easy to use, and enhance
the taste of water. These systems
achieve the same desired results, while
still costing a fraction of the price of
bottled water.
TIP1
TIP2
Additional Information
The Otay Water District appreciates your comments
and active participation. If you have questions
about the information contained in this report or
testing processes, please contact System Operations
Manager Jake Vaclavek at (619) 670-2230 or
visit otaywater.gov. You can also find helpful
information by contacting the following agencies:
State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95812-0100
(916) 449-5577
waterboards.ca.gov
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Water (4101 M)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791
water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm
Otay Water District
2254 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2004
(619) 670-2222
opinion_form@otaywater.gov
otaywater.gov
For more information about California
state-certified residential water treatment
devices, visit the State Water Resources
Control Board’s website at
waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/
device/watertreatmentdevices.html.
Otay Water District Board of Directors
Mitch Thompson, President .....................Division 2
Mark Robak, Vice President ......................Division 5
Hector Gastelum, Treasurer ......................Division 4
Tim Smith, Director ....................................Division 1
Gary Croucher, Director.............................Division 3
5
PARAMETER UNITS STATE OR FEDERAL MCL [MRDL]
PHG(MCLG)[MRDLG]
STATEDLR(RL)
RANGE AVERAGE TWIN OAKSPLANT
CARLSBADDESAL PLANT
HELIX PLANT SKINNER PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER
PRIMARY STANDARDS — Mandatory Health-Related Standards
CLARITY
Combined Filter NTU 0.3 NA NA Highest 0.02 0.15 0.12 0.08
Effluent Turbidity %95 (a)NA NA % < 0.3 100 98.0 100 100 Soil runoff
MICROBIOLOGICAL
Total Coliform Bacteria (b)State Total Coliform Rule %5.0 (0)NA Distribution System-wide: Naturally present in the environment
Otay Distribution System=0.1%
E.coli State Total Coliform Rule (c)(c)(0)NA Distribution System-wide: Human and animal fecal waste
Otay Distribution System=0%
Giardia (d)cysts/200 L TT (0)(1)Range ND ND ND ND-1 Human and animal fecal waste
Average ND ND ND ND
INORGANIC CHEMICALS
Aluminum (e)ppb 1000 600 50 Range ND ND 63-440 ND-100 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageNDND22551
Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2 Range NA ND ND-2.1 ND Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics production wastesAverage3NDNDND
FluorideTreatment-related ppm 2.0 1 0.1 Control Range 0.6-0.9 0.6-0.8 0.2-0.7 0.6-0.9 Erosion of natural deposits
Water additive that promotes strong teethOptimal Level 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7
Otay Distribution System Range: 0.2-0.8
Otay Distribution System Average: 0.7
Nitrate (as Nitrogen)ppm 10 10 0.4 Range ND-0.6 ND ND ND Runoff and leaching from fertilizer use; septic tank and sewage; natural deposits erosionAverage0.4 ND ND ND
Selenium ppb 50 30 5 Range NA ND-8 ND ND Natural deposits erosion, glass, refineries, mines, and chemical waste discharge; runoff from livestock lotsAverageNDNDNDND
RADIOLOGICALS
Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 (0)3 Range 4-7 ND 5-8 ND-4 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 5 ND 6 ND
Gross BetaParticle Activity (f)pCi/L 50 (0)4 Range 4-6 ND ND ND-5 Decay of natural and man-made deposits
Average 5 ND ND ND
Uranium pCi/L 20 0.43 1 Range NA ND ND ND-3 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 2 ND 3 ND
DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS, DISINFECTANT RESIDUALS, AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS PRECURSORS
Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM) ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 15-50 By-product of drinking water chlorination
80 (g)NA 1 Highest LRAA: 59
Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5)ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 3-20 By-product of drinking water chlorination
60 (g)NA 1 Highest LRAA: 21
Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: ND-3.5 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment[4.0] (h)[4.0](0.1)Highest RAA: 2.3
Bromate ppb 10 (h)0.1 1.0 Range 1-15 NA ND ND-5.9 By-product of drinking water ozonation
Average 5 NA ND 3.7
DBP Precursors Control(TOC)ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 2.1-2.6 NA ND 2.0-2.7 Various natural and man-made sources
Average 2.3 NA ND 2.4
Otay
Water
District’s 2018
Annual
Water
Quality
Report
6
ABBREVIATIONS
AI Aggressiveness Index
AL Action Level
DBP Disinfection By-Products
DLR Detection Limits for
Purposes of Reporting
LRAA Locational Running
Annual Average
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MCLG Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal
MRDL Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level
MRDLG Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level Goal
N Nitrogen
NA Not Applicable
ND Not Detected
NL Notification Level
NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units
NR Not Reported
pCi/L picoCuries per Liter
PHG Public Health Goal
ppb parts per billion or micrograms
per liter (µg/L)
ppm parts per million or milligrams
per liter (mg/L)
ppt parts per trillion or nanograms
per liter (ng/L)
RAA Running Annual Average
Range Results based on minimum
and maximum values
RL Reporting Limit
SWRCB State Water Resources Control
Board
TOC Total Organic Carbon
TON Threshold Odor Number
TT Treatment Technique
µS/cm microSiemen per centimeter
PRIMARY STANDARDS — LEAD AND COPPER RULE — SAMPLED AT HOME TAPS IN 2017
Copper (l) ppm AL=1.3 0.3 0.05 0 sites above AL out of 83 sampled90th percentile=0.18 Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of natural deposits
Lead (l) ppb AL=15 0.2 5 0 sites above AL out of 83 sampled90th percentile=ND Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of natural deposits
45 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN THE LEAD MONITORING PROGRAM DURING 2017 and 2018.
SECONDARY STANDARDS — AESTHETIC STANDARDS
Aluminum (e)ppb 200 600 50 Range ND ND 63-440 ND-100 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageNDND22551
Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range NA 55-118 67-83 90-93 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage90747792
Color Units 15 NA (2.5)Otay Distribution System Range: ND-2.5 Naturally occurring organic materials
Otay Distribution System Average: ND
Manganase ppb 50 NL=500 20 Range ND ND ND 22 Leaching from natural deposits
Average ND ND ND 22
Odor Threshold TON 3 NA 1 Otay Distribution System Range: 1-2 Naturally occurring organic materials
Otay Distribution System Average: 1
Specific Conductance µS/cm 1600 NA NA Range NA 304-600 580-908 841-851 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influenceAverage810418769846
Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range NA 8.5-17.2 83-190 168-175 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage16012141172
Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range NA 119-333 560 323-627 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage510217560504
Turbidity NTU 5 NA 0.1 Otay Distribution System Range: ND - 0.16 Soil runoff
Otay Distribution System Average: ND
FEDERAL UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS MONITORING RULE (UCMR3 List 1 and List 2)
Bromochloromethane ppt NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 62-140 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesOtay Distribution System Average: 98
Chlorate ppb NL=800 NA 20 Otay Distribution System Range: 20-430 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesOtay Distribution System Average: 178
Molybdenum ppb NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: ND-4.4 Naturally present in the environment; industrial processesOtay Distribution System Average: 4.0
Strontium ppb NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 140-990 Naturally present in the environment; industrial processesOtay Distribution System Average: 840
PARAMETER UNITS STATE OR FEDERAL MCL [MRDL]
PHG(MCLG)[MRDLG]
STATEDLR (RL)RANGE AVERAGE TWIN OAKSPLANT
CARLSBADDESAL PLANT
HELIX PLANT SKINNER PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER
7
OTHER PARAMETERS
Chemical
Alkalinity ppm NA NA NA Range NA 42-80 96-127 104-109 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits
Average 110 63 114 106
Boron ppb NL=1000 NA 100 Range NA 372-923 ND 120 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastesAverage130606ND120
Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 17-35 34-66 54-58 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits
Average 55 23 51 56
Chlorate ppb NL=800 NA 20 Range 160-290 NA ND 43 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverage219NAND43
Corrosivity (j) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA Range NA 11.6-12.3 12.0-12.5 12.3-12.4 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage1212.1 12.3 12.4
Corrosivity (j) (as Saturation Index)AI NA NA NA Range NA 0.05-0.53 NA 0.54-0.59 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage0.64 0.29 NA 0.56
Hardness (k)ppm NA NA NA Range NA 42-71 135-290 233-274 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits
Average 220 54 213 254
Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 0.5-1.1 17-23 23-26 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits
Average 20 0.7 21 24
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)ppt NL=10 3 (2)Range NA NA ND 4.1 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverage2NAND4.1
pH pH Units NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 7.9-8.6
Otay Distribution System Average: 8.2
Potassium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 1.0-3.7 3.9-4.6 4.0-4.5 Naturally present in the environment
Average 4.0 2.4 4.3 4.2
Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 16-78 54-82 85-92 Naturally present in the environment
Average 82 54 72 88
FOOTNOTES
(a) The turbidity performance standards regulated by a Treatment Technique
shall be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of the measurements.
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water and is an cloudinees
of the water and is an indicator of treatment performance.
(b) Total coliform MCLs: No more than 5.0% of the monthly samples may
be total coliform-positive. The MCL was not violated.
(c) E. coli MCL: The occurrence of two consecutive total coliform-positive
samples, one of which contains E. coli, constitutes an acute MCL violation.
The MCL was not violated.
(d) A single Giardia cyst was detected in one sample of the Skinner plant
effluent. The plant met all operational and regulatory requirements
throughout the year, including at the time of this single sampling event,
and there was no regulatory violation.
(e) Aluminum has both primary and secondary standards.
(f) The gross beta particle activity MCL is 4 millirem/year annual dose
equivalent to the total body or any internal organ. SWRCB considers
50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles.
(g) Compliance based on locational running annual average (LRAA)
(h) Compliance based on running annual average (RAA)
(i) Positive SI is non-corrosive, tendancy to deposit calcium carbonate on pipes.
Negative SI is corrosive, tendacy to dissolve calcium carbonate
(j) AI <10.0 = Highly aggressive and very corrosive water
AI > 12.0 = Non-aggressive water
AI (10.0 - 11.9) = Moderately aggressive water
(k) Hardness can also be reported in grains per gallon. The distribution system
average is 12 grains per gallon of hardness.
(l) Lead and copper are regulated as a Treatment Technique under the Lead and
Copper Rule. It requires systems to take water samples at the consumer’s
tap. The action levels, which trigger water systems into taking treatment
steps if exceeded in more than 10% of the tap water samples, are 1.3 ppm
for copper and 15 ppb for lead. Next triennial monitoring will be performed
in 2020.
8
El Distrito de Agua de Otay le presenta el
Informe de Confianza al Consumidor. Este informe
describe detalladamente la calidad del agua durante
el 2018, incluyendo el origen del agua, su contenido
y una comparación con los estándares del estado de
California. La información incluida en este informe de
la calidad del agua representa una pequeña fracción
del esfuerzo que hacemos para asegurar que usted
reciba agua potable de la más alta calidad. Realizamos
revisiones exhaustivas del agua, en uno o más
laboratorios certificados por el estado de California,
que incluyen un amplio rango de elementos que
tienen el potencial de degradar la calidad del agua.
Únicamente los compuestos detectados en los
suministros de agua fueron incluidos en este informe.
Se concluyó, como en años anteriores, que el agua
potable cumple con todos los estándares de salud de
la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los Estados
Unidos (USEPA, por sus siglas en inglés) y los
estándares para el agua potable del estado de
California. El Distrito de Agua de Otay siempre está
vigilante salvaguardando los suministros de agua,
y una vez más, estamos orgullosos de informar que
nuestro sistema cumple con todos los estándares de
calidad del agua y nunca ha excedido el nivel máximo
de contaminantes que pudieran impactar su salud.
Acerca del Distrito de Agua de Otay
El Distrito de Agua de Otay es un distrito especial
establecido en 1956 por la Legislatura del Estado de
California como proveedor de servicios públicos de
agua. En la actualidad, el Distrito provee agua aproxi-
madamente a 225,000 habitantes dentro de una área
de 125 millas cuadradas que incluye las comunidades
de Otay Mesa, Chula Vista, Jamul, Spring Valley,
Rancho San Diego y zonas no incorporadas de
El Cajon y La Mesa.
El Distrito compra el 100 por ciento de su agua
tratada. El 85 por ciento de esa agua es importada
del río Colorado y el Proyecto Estatal de Agua de
California, y el otro 15 por ciento proviene de
suministros locales incluyendo almacenamientos de
agua locales dentro del condado y el océano Pacífico
a través de la planta desalinizadora de agua de mar.
El Distrito compra agua tratada al Distrito Metropol-
itano de Agua a través de la Planta de Tratamiento
R.A. Skinner del Sur de California; la Planta de
Tratamiento de Agua Twin Oaks Valley de la
San Diego County Water Authority; la Planta
Desalinizadora de Carlsbad; y la Planta de Tratamiento
de Agua R.M. Levy del Distrito de Agua de Helix.
Informe de confianza
al consumidor
10
Evaluaciones de las fuentes de agua
Las fuentes de suministro de agua del Distrito de
Agua de Otay incluyen el río Colorado, el Proyecto
Estatal de Agua de California, y suministros locales.
Las agencias que proveen de agua potable al Distrito
de Agua de Otay, incluyendo el Distrito Metropolitano
de Agua del Sur de California, la San Diego County
Water Authority y el Distrito de Agua de Helix,
realizan evaluaciones obligatorias y rigurosas de
sus fuentes de agua bruta. Si desea obtener las
evaluaciones del agua, por favor comuníquese con
el gerente de sistemas de operación del Distrito de
Agua de Otay Jake Vaclavek, al (619) 670-2230.
La participación del público es
importante
El Distrito de Agua de Otay anima a sus clientes a
que participen en las reuniones públicas. La junta
directiva generalmente se reúne el primer miércoles
de cada mes a las 3:30 p. m. en las oficinas del
Distrito de Agua de Otay ubicadas en 2554
Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978.
Usted puede asistir en persona a las juntas directivas
o puede escucharlas en vivo a través de la transmis-
ión de audio vía Internet en otaywater.gov. Para la
dirección, agendas e información adicional, por favor
llame al (619) 670-2222 o visite otaywater.gov.
Agua segura
Las fuentes de agua potable (agua de grifo y agua
embotellada) incluyen los océanos, ríos, lagos,
arroyos, estanques, reservorios, manantiales y pozos.
A medida que el agua viaja sobre la superficie de
la tierra o a través del suelo, disuelve residuos de
minerales naturales y en algunos casos, materiales
radioactivos. También puede recoger sustancias que
resultan de la presencia de animales o de alguna
actividad humana.
Se puede esperar que el agua potable, incluyendo
el agua embotellada, contenga pequeñas cantidades
de algunos contaminantes. La presencia de contami-
nantes no indica necesariamente que el agua
representa un riesgo para la salud. Para asegurar que
el agua del grifo es segura para beber, la USEPA y la
Junta Estatal han establecido normas que limitan la
cantidad de ciertos contaminantes en el agua que
se proporciona a través de los sistemas públicos de
agua. Las normas de la Administración de Medica-
mentos y Alimentos (FDA, por sus siglas en inglés)
de los Estados Unidos y la ley de California también
establecen límites para los contaminantes en el agua
embotellada los cuales deben proporcionar la misma
protección para la salud pública.
Algunas personas pueden ser más vulnerables a los
contaminantes en el agua potable que la población en
general. Las personas con un sistema inmunológico
debilitado como las personas con cáncer que reciben
quimioterapia, las personas que han recibido
trasplantes de órganos, las personas con VIH/SIDA
u otras enfermedades del sistema inmunológico,
algunas personas de la tercera edad y los lactantes
pueden estar particularmente en riesgo de infecciones.
Estas personas deben hablar con a su médico sobre el
agua potable. Las normas de la USEPA y los Centros
para el Control de Enfermedades sobre las medidas
adecuadas para disminuir el riesgo de infección por
Cryptosporidium y otros contaminantes microbianos
están disponibles en la Línea Directa de Agua Potable
Segura al (800) 426-4791.
Para obtener más información acerca de los
contaminantes y los posibles efectos en la salud,
por favor llame a la Línea Directa de Agua Potable
de la USEPA al (800) 426-4791 o visite
epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water.
11
Preocupaciones sobre el plomo en el
suministro de agua
Ninguna de las 727 millas de redes de distribución
o líneas de servicio de agua de Otay están hechas de
plomo. Además, Otay está obligado por la USEPA a
recoger muestras de agua en hogares seleccionados
y examinar esa muestra bajo la Norma de Plomo y
Cobre de la USEPA. En el área de servicio de Otay, los
niveles de plomo están muy por debajo de los están-
dares de la USEPA y el 100 por ciento de las muestras
de agua arrojaron niveles de plomo muy por debajo del
límite de detección de cinco partes por mil millones.
La Iniciativa de Ley 746 entró en vigor en enero de
2018. Esta iniciativa establece que los sistemas de
agua comunitarios deben realizar muestreos para la
detección de plomo en el agua potable de las
escuelas públicas desde kínder hasta doceavo grado;
escuelas de nivel preescolar y guarderías infantiles
en las propiedades de las escuelas públicas. El
Distrito tiene hasta el 1º. de julio de 2019 para
realizar pruebas en el sistema de agua potable de las
escuelas que cuentan con edificios construidos antes
del 1º. de enero de 2010 o en aquellas donde no se
han llevado a cabo las pruebas de plomo desde el 1º.
de enero de 2009. Desde diciembre de 2018, el
Distrito ha analizado 45 de las 66 escuelas en su área
de servicio. Las 21 escuelas restantes han realizado
sus propias pruebas del plomo o no son escuelas
públicas. El Distrito de Agua de Otayes responsable de
los costos asociados con la toma de las muestras de
agua potable, análisis, revisión e informe de los resul-
tados a las escuelas y al estado. Un nivel de 15 partes
por mil millones o menos se considera seguro dentro
de un sistema de agua. Si se detectan más de 15 partes
por mil millones dentro del sistema de agua escolar,
la escuela será responsable de tomar las medidas
correctivas necesarias. Para más información acerca
del plomo en el agua potable, visite epa.gov/lead.
Contaminantes que se pueden
presentar en los suministros de agua
• Contaminantes microbianos como virus y bacterias
que pueden provenir de plantas de tratamiento de
aguas residuales, sistemas sépticos, actividades
agrícolas o ganaderas y la fauna silvestre.
• Contaminantes inorgánicos tales como sales y
metales que pueden surgir naturalmente o como
resultado de la escorrentía de aguas pluviales;
descargas de desechos industriales o domésticos;
producción de aceite y gas; minería o agricultura.
• Los pesticidas o herbicidas que se pueden originar
de la agricultura, escorrentía de aguas pluviales y
usos residenciales.
• Contaminantes químicos orgánicos incluyendo los
químicos sintéticos y orgánicos volátiles que son
productos derivados de procesos industriales y la
producción de petróleo por lo que también pueden
provenir de estaciones de servicio; escorrentía
de aguas pluviales en zonas urbanas; aplicación
agrícola; y sistemas sépticos.
• Los contaminantes radioactivos que pueden surgir
naturalmente o ser resultado de la producción de
aceite y gas, así como actividades de minería.
Contaminantes que pueden estar
presentes en los sistemas de plomería
del hogar
El plomo, si está presente, puede causar serios
problemas de salud, especialmente en las mujeres
embarazadas y niños pequeños. El plomo en el agua
potable proviene principalmente de materiales y
componentes asociados con las líneas de servicio y
la plomería del hogar. El Distrito de Agua de Otay es
responsable de proporcionar agua potable de alta
calidad pero no puede controlar la variedad de
materiales que se utilizan en los componentes del
sistema de plomería. Cuando el agua ha estado
asentada durante varias horas, usted puede minimizar
la contaminación al plomo dejando correr el agua de
la llave durante 30 segundos a dos minutos antes de
utilizarla. Si usted está preocupado acerca del plomo
en su agua, tal vez le interesaría analizar su agua.
Para más información acerca del plomo en el agua
potable, métodos de análisis y pasos para minimizar
la contaminación, comuníquese a la Línea Directa del
Agua Potable Segura al (800) 426-4791 o visite
epa.gov/lead.
Solo 1 Minuto
en 1,902 años
Solo 1 Centavo en $10 millones
Solo 1 Gotaen una piscina olímpica
(160 pies de longitud y de seis a nueve pies de profundidad)
Una
Parte
Por Mil
Millones
(1 PPMM)
Equivale
A:
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La verdad sobre el agua del grifo
Creencias: Los estudios muestran que la mayoría de
los consumidores que beben agua embotellada lo
hacen porque disfrutan su sabor o portabilidad.
Otras personas beben agua embotellada porque
creen que es más pura o más segura que el agua
del grifo.
Verdad: ¿Sabía usted que una botella de agua
promedio puede costar hasta 1,000 veces más
que el agua del grifo? A pesar de lo que su alto
costo nos hace creer, se calcula que el 25 por
ciento o más del agua embotellada en el mercado
es simplemente agua del grifo envasada.
El agua del grifo está regulada por la USEPA bajo
la Ley de Agua Potable Segura mientras que el
agua embotellada está considerada como
alimento, por lo tanto, está regulada por la FDA.
Si bien algunos embotelladores podrían exceder
los estándares de la FDA, tanto el agua
embotellada como los suministros de agua
pública en los Estados Unidos deben cumplir con
estándares similares para el agua potable segura.
Para más información, visite drinktap.org.
Usted tiene opciones: Es muy importante saber que
usted tiene otra opción más económica que el
agua embotellada.
Ponga a enfriar una jarra de agua
del grifo en su refrigerador
Llene sus botellas reutilizables o termos
con agua helada de una jarra. Esto es
bueno para el medio ambiente y
ofrece portabilidad a muy bajo costo.
Aparatos de tratamiento de agua
del hogar
Otra posibilidad es la instalación de un
sistema de filtración de agua en el hogar.
Estos sistemas son prácticos, fáciles de
usar y mejoran el sabor del agua. Estos
aparatos logran los mismos resultados
deseados a una fracción del costo del
precio del agua embotellada.
CONSEJO1
CONSEJO2
La Junta Directiva del Distrito
de Agua de Otay
Mitch Thompson, Presidente ...................División 2
Mark Robak, Vicepresidente .....................División 5
Hector Gastelum, Tesorero .......................División 4
Tim Smith, Director ....................................División 1
Gary Croucher, Director.............................División 3
Para más información acerca de los aparatos para
tratar el agua del hogar que estén certificados por
el estado de California, visite waterboards.ca.gov/
drinking_water/certlic/device/Documents/
aparatos_para_tratar_el_agua.pdf.
Información adicional
El Distrito de Agua de Otay agradece todos sus
comentarios y participación activa. Si tiene pregun-
tas sobre la información contenida en este informe
o en los procesos de pruebas, por favor comuníquese
con Jake Vaclavek, gerente de operaciones del
sistema, al (619) 670-2230 o visite otaywater.gov.
También puede encontrar información muy útil si se
comunica con las siguientes agencias:
La Junta Estatal de Control de Recursos Hídricos
P.O. Box 100
Sacramento, CA 95812-0100
(916) 449-5577
waterboards.ca.gov
La Agencia de Protección Ambiental
de los Estados Unidos
Office of Water (4101 M)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Línea Directa del Agua Potable Segura:
(800) 426-4791
water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm
El Distrito de Agua de Otay
2254 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2004
(619) 670-2222
opinion_form@otaywater.gov
otaywater.gov
Ang pag-uulat na ito ay naglalaman ng mahalagang
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