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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2020 (published in 2021) G I S M a n ager P u m p Me chanic l Environmental Compliance S p e cialist U tilit y C r e w L e a der 2 The Otay Water District is pleased to provide you with the annual Consumer Confidence Report for calendar year 2020. This report presents a snapshot of 2020’s 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 standards. The information in this report represents only a small part of what the District does to ensure high quality drinking water. Using one or more state-certified laboratories, it routinely inspects and scrutinizes 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, the District’s customers’ tap water has met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Board) Division of Drinking Water health standards. The District is vigilant in safeguarding its water supplies. It is once again proud to report that its system has met all water quality standards, and it has never exceeded a health-related maximum contaminant level. Your Consumer Confidence Report Your Drinking Water During COVID-19 is Safe Although this document reports water quality data from the previous calendar year (2020), the Otay Water District ensures its customers that it is committed to delivering a safe and reliable water supply. While there are many challenges presented by COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus disease, drinking water and services provided by the District have NOT been affected by COVID-19 – and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends drinking, cooking with, and bathing with tap water like customers normally would. That is because filtration, chlorine disinfection, and other treatment processes eliminate pathogens – including viruses and bacteria – in the treated water supply. In fact, the water that comes to your tap is tested at treatment plants and various points in the distribution system to ensure compliance with strict state and federal standards. Currently, there is no evidence to support the survival of COVID-19 in drinking water. The flu, which is a respiratory illness, is not spread through tap water. The coronavirus, also a respiratory illness, is not any different. For this reason, there is no need to purchase bottled water. The District has continued to closely monitor the local, state, and federal advisories regarding the outbreak of COVID-19. For detailed updates and resources, visit otaywater.gov/covid-19. 3 About the Otay Water District The District is a public water service provider established by the State Legislature in 1956 as a special district. Today, it delivers water to nearly 226,000 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 San Diego 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 Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, and the Helix Water District’s R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant. 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 by the State Board to perform source water assessments on their raw water supplies. To request 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 it serves. Its 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. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the board meetings are currently held virtually via video streaming. 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. The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (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 contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immu- nocompromised persons, such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other im- mune 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. Guidelines, from the USEPA and the Centers for Disease Control, on the appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. 4 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. 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 District is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water, but it 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 by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or visiting epa.gov/lead. Concerns Over Lead in the Water Supply None of the District’s 723 miles of potable water mains or service lines are made of lead. Also, under the USEPA’s Lead and Copper Rule, the District is required to collect and test water samples from select homes. 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. If you would like to learn more about lead in drinking water, visit the USEPA’s website at epa.gov/lead. Only 1 Minute in 1,902 Years Only 1 Cent in $10 Million Only 1 Drop in 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: 5 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 purer 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 therefore regulated by the FDA. Though some bottlers may voluntarily exceed FDA standards, 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 is important to know that you have more affordable options than bottled water. Although the tap water is safe to drink, some people do not prefer the taste. TIP1 TIP2 Tips to Improve Tap Water Taste Chill a pitcher of tap water in your refrigerator Fill your reusable 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 filtration system. The systems are convenient, easy to use, and enhance the taste of water. These systems achieve the same desired result and cost a fraction of the price of bottled water. For more information about California-certified residential water treatment devices, visit the State Board’s website at waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/ device/watertreatmentdevices.html. Additional Information The Otay Water District appreciates your comments and active participation. If you have questions about the information 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/drinking_water United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code 4606M) 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 Otay Water District Board of Directors Tim Smith, President ................................................Division 1 Mark Robak, Vice President .....................................Division 5 Jose Lopez, Treasurer ..............................................Division 4 Ryan Keyes, Director ................................................Division 2 Gary Croucher, Director ...........................................Division 3 6 PARAMETER UNITS STATE OR FE-DERAL MCL [MRDL] PHG(MCLG)[MRDLG] STATEDLR(RL) RANGE AVERAGE TWIN OAKSPLANT CARLS-BADDESAL PLANT HELIX PLANT SKINNER PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER PRIMARY STANDARDS — Mandatory Health-Related Standards CLARITY Combined Filter NTU 0.3/0.1 NA NA Highest 0.01 0.08 0.16 0.09 Effluent Turbidity %95 NA NA %<=0.3 or <=0.1(a)100 100 100 100 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=0.5% E.coli State Total Coliform Rule (c)(c)(0)NA Distribution System-wide: Human and animal fecal waste Otay Distribution System=0% INORGANIC CHEMICALS Aluminum (d)ppb 1000 600 50 Range ND ND ND-200 ND-200 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageNDND118108 FluorideTreatment-related ppm 2.0 1 0.1 Range 0.5-0.8 0.6-0.8 0.6-0.8 0.6-0.9 Erosion of natural deposits Water additive that promotes strong teethAverage0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 Otay Distribution System Range: 0.5-0.8 Otay Distribution System Average: 0.7 Nitrate (as Nitrogen) ppm 10 10 0.4 Range ND-0.4 ND ND ND Runoff and leaching from fertilizer use; septic tank and sewage; natural deposits erosionAverageNDNDNDND Selenium ppb 50 30 5 Range NA ND-6 ND ND Natural deposits erosion, glass, refine-ries, mines, and chemical waste dischar-ge; runoff from livestock lotsAverageNDNDNDND RADIOLOGICALS Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 (0)3 Range ND ND 5-8 ND-3 Erosion of natural deposits Average ND ND 7 ND Gross BetaParticle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 (0)4 Range ND ND ND ND-5 Decay of natural and man-made deposits Average ND ND ND ND Radium-228 pCi/L NA 0.019 1 Range ND ND ND ND-1 Erosion of natural deposits Average ND ND ND ND Uranium pCi/L 20 0.43 1 Average NA ND 1-5 ND-2 Erosion of natural deposits Average 1 ND 3 2 DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS, DISINFECTANT RESIDUALS, AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS PRECURSORS Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM) ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 12-48 By-product of drinking water chlorination 80 (f)NA (g)Highest LRAA: 45 Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5)ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: ND-17 By-product of drinking water chlorination 60 (f)NA (h)Highest LRAA: 15 Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 0.1-3.7 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment[4.0] (i)[4.0](0.1)Highest RAA: 2.4 Bromate ppb 10 (i)0.1 1.0 Range ND-7.4 NA ND ND-5.6 By-product of drinking water ozonation Average 2.8 NA ND 2.5 DBP Precursors Control(TOC)ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 2.0-2.5 NA 2.8-3.3 1.9-2.6 Various natural and man-made sources Average 2.2 NA 3.0 2.3 2020 Water Quality Data 7 PARAMETER UNITS STATE OR FE-DERAL MCL [MRDL] PHG(MCLG)[MRDLG] STATEDLR(RL) RANGE AVERAGE TWIN OAKSPLANT CARLS-BADDESAL PLANT HELIX PLANT SKINNER PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER PRIMARY STANDARDS — LEAD AND COPPER RULE — SAMPLED AT HOME TAPS IN 2020 Copper (m) ppm AL=1.3 0.3 0.05 0 sites above AL out of 81 sampled90th percentile=0.23 Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of natural deposits Lead (m) ppb AL=15 0.2 5 0 sites above AL out of 81 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 (d)ppb 200 600 50 Range ND ND ND-200 ND-200 Residue from water treatment process; natu-ral deposits erosionAverageNDND118108 Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range 73-81 54-100 NA 81-92 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage77758586 Color Units 15 NA (2.5)Otay Distribution System Range: ND-2.5 Naturally occurring organic materials Otay Distribution System Average: ND Odor Threshold TON 3 NA 1 Otay Distribution System Range: ND-1 Naturally occurring organic materials Otay Distribution System Average: ND Specific Conductance µS/cm 1600 NA NA Range NA 292-516 530-912 796-956 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influenceAverage660404721876 Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range 63-100 12-17 NA 152-208 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage8214180180 Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range NA 140-276 258-572 472-588 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage300205397530 Turbidity NTU 5 NA 0.1 Otay Distribution System Range: ND-0.5 Soil runoff Otay Distribution System Average: ND FEDERAL UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS MONITORING RULE (UCMR4) Haloacetic Acids (five) HAA5 ppb 60 (f)NA (h)Otay Distribution System Range: 3.9-25.1 By-product of drinking water chlorination Otay Distribution System Average: 9.4 HAA6Br ppb NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 3.3-20.0 By-product of drinking water chlorination Otay Distribution System Average: 7.8 HAA9 ppb NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 6.7-39.9 By-product of drinking water chlorination Otay Distribution System Average: 14.4 Manganese ppb 50; NL= 500 NA (0.4)Otay Distribution System Range: ND-9.2 Leaching from natural deposits Otay Distribution System Average: 2.8 2020 Water Quality Data 8 PARAMETER UNITS STATE OR FE-DERAL MCL [MRDL] PHG(MCLG)[MRDLG] STATEDLR(RL) RANGE AVERAGE TWIN OAKSPLANT CARLS-BADDESAL PLANT HELIX PLANT SKINNER PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER 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 at Skinner and Helix plants and less than or equal to 0.1 NTU in 95% of the measurements at Twin Oaks and Carlsbad Desal Plants. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness 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 coli- form-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) Aluminum has both primary and secondary standards. (e) 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. (f) Compliance based on locational running annual average (LRAA). (g) Total trihalomethanes: RL=0.5 for quarter 1 and 2, RL=1 for quarter 3 and 4. (h) Haloacetic acids (five): RL=2 for quarter 1 and 2, RL=1 for quarter 3 and 4. (i) Compliance based on running annual average (RAA). (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) Positive SI is non-corrosive, tendency to deposit calcium carbonate on pipes. Negative SI is corrosive, tendency to dissolve calcium carbonate. (l) Hardness can also be reported in grains per gallon. The distribution system range is 8.5-12.3 grains per gallon of hardness. The average is 9.5 grains per gallon of hard-ness. (m) Lead and copper are regulated as a Treatment Technique under the Lead and Copper Rule. It requires systems to take water samples at the consumers’ taps. 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 2023. OTHER PARAMETERS CHEMICAL Alkalinity (as CaCO3)ppm NA NA NA Range NA 46-104 88-128 105-121 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 97 64 108 113 Boron ppb NL= 1000 NA 100 Range NA 360-780 ND NA Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastesAverage130550ND130 Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range 29-37 17-32 NA 52-72 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 33 23 57 62 Chlorate ppb NL= 800 NA 20 Range 180-290 NA ND-26 NA By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverage255NAND34 Corrosivity (j) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA Range NA 8.5-10.9 12.1-12.5 12.3-12.5 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage12.0 10.6 12.3 12.4 Corrosivity (k) (as Saturation Index)SI NA NA NA Range NA 0.04-0.63 NR 0.39-0.73 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage0.41 0.31 NR 0.56 Hardness (as CaCO3) (I)ppm NA NA NA Range 120-150 42-80 125-280 211-273 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 135 57 211 242 Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range 13-15 0.9-1.0 NA 20-26 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 14 0.9 22 23 N-Nitrosodimethylami-ne (NDMA)ppt NL= 10 3 NA Range NA NA ND NA By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverageNDNAND4.2 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 3.1-3.5 NA NA 4.0-4.8 Naturally present in the environment Average 3.3 NA 4.9 4.4 Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range 61-65 45-66 NA 76-98 Naturally present in the environment Average 63 55 80 87 2020 Water Quality Data Abbreviations AI Aggressiveness Index AL Action Level CaCO3 Calcium Carbonate 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 SI Saturation Index SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board TOC Total Organic Carbon TON Threshold Odor Number TT Treatment Technique µS/cm microSiemen per centimeter G e r e n t a d e GIS M e c á nic o e s p e c i a l is t a en bombas de agua l Especialista en cumplimien to a m biental Jefe d e la divisi ó n d e s e r v ic i o s pú blicos 10 El Distrito de Agua de Otay le presenta el Informe de Confianza al Consumidor. Este informe describe detalladamente la calidad del agua durante el año 2020, incluyendo el origen del agua, su contenido y una comparación con los estándares de California. La información en este informe representa una pequeña fracción del esfuerzo que hace el Distrito para asegurar que usted reciba agua potable de la más alta calidad. El Distrito realiza 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 siempre está vigilante salvaguardando los suministros de agua, y una vez más, está orgullosos de informar que su sistema cumple con todos los estándares de calidad del agua y nunca ha excedido el nivel máximo de contaminantes que pudieran impactar su salud. Informe de confianza al consumidor El agua potable es segura durante la emergencia del COVID-19 Aunque los datos que se presentan en este documento sobre la calidad del agua son del año pasado (2020), el Distrito de Agua de Otay les asegura a sus clientes que estamos comprometidos a entregar un suministro de agua seguro y confiable. Si bien existen muchos desafíos por el COVID-19, también conocido como coronavirus, el agua potable y los servicios que provee el Distrito NO han sido afecta- dos por el COVID-19, incluso la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los Estados Unidos recomienda que las personas continúen bebiendo, cocinando y bañándose con agua de la llave como siempre lo han hecho. Esto se debe a que los sistemas de filtración y desinfección con cloro, así como otros procesos de tratamiento, eliminan los patógenos, incluyendo virus y bacterias, en el suministro de agua tratada. De hecho, el agua que llega a su llave es analizada en las plantas de tratamiento y en varios puntosdel sistema de distribución para garantizar el cumplimiento de los estándares más estrictos tanto estatales como federales. En la actualidad, no hay pruebas que respaldan la supervivencia del COVID-19 en el agua potable. La gripe, que es una enfer- medad respiratoria, no se transmite a través del agua de la llave. El coronavirus, también es una enfermedad respiratoria, por lo tanto, no es diferente. Por esta razón, no hay necesidad de comprar agua embotellada. El Distrito continúa monitoreando muy de cerca las advertencias locales, estatales y federales con respecto al brote del COVID-19. Para información actualizada y recursos, por favor visite otaywater.gov/ covid-19. 11 Acerca del Distrito de Agua de Otay El Distrito es un proveedor de servicios públicos de agua establecido en 1956 por la Legislatura del Estado de California como un distrito especial. En la actualidad, el Distrito provee agua a casi 226,000 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 de San Diego y el océano Pacífico a través de la planta desalinizadora de agua de mar. El Distrito compra agua tratada al Distrito Metropolitano 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 Claude “Bud” Lewis de Carlsbad; y la Planta de Tratamiento de Agua R.M. Levy del Distrito de Agua de Helix. Evaluaciones de las fuentes de agua Las fuentes de suministro de agua del Distrito incluyen el río Colorado, el Proyecto Estatal de Agua de California, y suministros locales. Las agencias que proveen de agua potable al Distrito, incluyendo el Distrito Metropolitano de Agua del Sur de California, la San Diego County Water Authority y el Distrito de Agua de Helix, realizan evalua- ciones obligatorias y rigurosas de sus fuentes de agua bruta. Para solicitar copias de 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 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 ubicadas en 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978. Usted puede asistir en persona a las juntas directivas. Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, las reuniones de la Junta se llevan a cabo de forma virtual a través de la transmisión de video. 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 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 contaminantes 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 Medicamentos 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 enferme- dades 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. 12 Para obtener más información acerca de los contami- nantes 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. 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 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. Preocupaciones sobre el plomo en el suministro de agua Ninguna de las 723 millas de redes de distribución o líneas de servicio de agua del Distrito están hechas de plomo. Además, el Distrito está obligado por la USEPA a recoger muestras de agua en hogares seleccionados y examinarlas bajo la Norma de Plomo y Cobre de la USEPA. En el área de servicio del Distrito, los niveles de plomo están muy por debajo de los estándares 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. Para más información acerca del plomo en el agua potable, visite epa.gov/lead. Solo 1 minuto en 1,902 años Solo 1 centavo en $10 millones Solo 1 gota en una piscina olímpica (160 pies de longitud y de seis a nueve pies de profundidad) Una parte por mil millones (1 PPMM)equivale a: 13 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 y 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. Aunque el agua de la llave es segura para beber a muchas personas no les gusta el sabor. A continuación le presentamos algunos consejos para mejorar el sabor del agua y posiblemente ahorrarle dinero. TIP1 TIP2 Para más información acerca de los aparatos para tratar el agua del hogar que están 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 preguntas sobre la información 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/drinking_water La Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los Estados Unidos EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (Mail Code 4606M) 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 La Junta Directiva del Distrito de Agua de Otay Tim Smith, Presidente ..............................................División 1 Mark Robak, Vicepresidente ....................................División 5 Jose Lopez, Tesorero ...............................................División 4 Ryan Keyes, Director ................................................División 2 Gary Croucher, Director ...........................................División 3 Consejos para mejorar el sabor del agua de la llave 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 hogarOtra 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. 14 Ang pag-uulat na ito ay naglalaman ng mahalagang impormasyon tungkol sa inyong inuming tubig. Mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa Otay Water District o tumawag sa (619) 670-2222 para matulungan sa wikang Tagalog. Báo cáo này chứa thông tin quan trọng về nước uống của bạn. Xin vui lòng liên hệ Otay Water District tại (619) 670-2222 để được trợ giúp bằng tiếng Việt. گزارش شامل اطلاعات مهمی در مورد آب آشامیدنی شماست. لطفا برای کسب این اطلاعات به صفحه Otay Water District ، قسمت (619) 670-2222 و گویش مورد نظر مراجعه فرمایید.