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Home My WebLink AboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2022 (published in 2023)2 The Otay Water District is pleased to provide you with the annual Consumer Confidence Report. This report presents a snapshot of water quality in the District’s service area during calendar year 2022. 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, the District routinely inspects and analyzes 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, its 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. 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 228,000 customers within roughly 125 square miles of southeastern San Diego County, including the communities of eastern Chula Vista, Bonita, Jamul, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, unincorporated areas of El Cajon and La Mesa, and eastern Otay Mesa along the international border with Mexico. The District purchases 100% of its treated water. Approximately 85% 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 Robert 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 Metropol- itan 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 its customers. Its board of directors generally meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at its headquarters, located at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, CA 91978. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings, which are also streamed live at otaywater.gov. For directions, agendas, and additional information, please call (619) 670-2222 or visit otaywater.gov. Your Consumer Confidence Report 3 Otay Water District Board of Directors Mark Robak, President ........................................................Division 5 Jose Lopez, Vice President ............................................Division 4 Ryan Keyes, Treasurer ........................................................Division 2 Tim Smith, Director .................................................................Division 1 Gary Croucher, Director ..................................................Division 3 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 pres- ence 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 pre- scribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (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 contam- inants 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. 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. 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. Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant 4 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 727 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% of water samples showed lead levels below the action level of 15 parts per billion. If you would like to learn more about lead in drinking water, visit the USEPA’s website at epa.gov/lead. The Truth About Tap Water Beliefs: Surveys have found that most consumers who drink bottled water do so because they enjoy its taste or 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% 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 consid- ered 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 tap water is safe to drink, some people do not prefer the taste. 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 6 to 9 feet in depth) 1 Part Per Billion (1 PPB)Is Equivalent To: 5 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 partici- pation. 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 Division of Drinking Water: (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 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. This is environmentally friendly and allows for an inexpensive way to achieve refreshing portability. Install a residential water treatment device. Home water filtration systems are convenient, are 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. TIP1 TIP2 6 Otay Water District’s Annual Water Quality Report 2022 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 0.3/0.1 NA NA Highest 0.03 0.05 0.22 0.05 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 (c) State Total Coliform Rule Num-ber 0 (0)NA Distribution System-wide: Human and animal fecal waste Otay Distribution System=0% INORGANIC CHEMICALS Aluminum (d)ppb 1000 600 50 Range ND-220 ND 160-500 ND-230 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverage70ND290113 Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2 Range NA ND ND-3 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverage2NDNDND Barium ppm 1 2 0.1 Range ND ND ND-0.12 ND Discharges of oil drilling wastes and from metal refineries; erosion of natural depositsAverageNDNDNDND FluorideTreatment-related ppm 2.0 1 0.1 Range 0.5-0.7 ND-0.8 0.6-1.0 0.6-0.8 Erosion of natural deposits Water additive that promotes strong teethAverage0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 Otay Distribution System Range: 0.6-0.8 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 RADIOLOGICALS Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 (0)3 Range ND-4 ND ND-4 ND-3 Erosion of natural deposits Average ND ND ND ND Gross BetaParticle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 (0)4 Range 5-5 ND ND 5-8 Decay of natural and man-made depositsAverage5NDND7 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 ND ND ND-3 ND-2 Erosion of natural deposits Average ND ND 1 2 DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS, DISINFECTANT RESIDUALS, AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS PRECURSORS Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM) ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 6.8-43.5 By-product of drinking water chlorination 80 (f)NA (1.0)Highest LRAA: 37 Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5)ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 3.2-14.0 By-product of drinking water chlorination 60 (f)NA (1.0)Highest LRAA: 13 Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range: 0.1-3.6 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment[4.0] (g)[4.0](0.1)Highest RAA: 2.5 Bromate ppb 10 (g)0.1 1.0 Range 1.6-5.8 NA ND ND-5.5 By-product of drinking water ozonation Average 3.0 NA ND 1.2 DBP Precursors Control (TOC)ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 1.3-3.3 NA 1.6-3.2 2.3-2.6 Various natural and man-made sources Average 2.4 NA 2.3 2.5 7 Otay Water District’s Annual Water Quality Report 2022 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 — LEAD AND COPPER RULE — SAMPLED AT HOME TAPS IN 2020 Copper (k) 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 (k) 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-220 ND 160-500 ND-230 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverage74ND294113 Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range NA 20-119 89-110 98-106 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage11090100102 Color Units 15 NA (2.5)Otay Distribution System Range: ND-7.5 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 345-485 830-1000 944-1030 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influenceAverage980401930987 Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range 210-220 13-15 170-220 206-229 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage21714195218 Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range NA 138-285 480-680 591-651 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influenceAverage610211580621 Turbidity NTU 5 NA 0.1 Otay Distribution System Range: ND-3.6 Soil runoff Otay Distribution System Average: 0.10 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 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 8 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 MCL: No more than 5.0% of the monthly samples may be total coliform-positive. The highest monthly percentage of positive samples is reported. 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 total number of positive samples during the year is reported. 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) Compliance based on running annual average (RAA). (h) AI < 10.0 = Highly aggressive and very corrosive water AI > 12.0 = Non-aggressive water AI (10.0 - 11.9 ) = Moderately aggressive water (i) Positive SI is non-corrosive, tendency to deposit calcium carbonate on pipes. Negative SI is corrosive, tendency to dissolve calcium carbonate. (j) Hardness can also be reported in grains per gallon. The distribution system range is 11.6-16.3 grains per gallon of hardness. The average is 12.9 grains per gallon of hardness. (k) 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 46-87 110-120 119-128 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 130 61 117 124 Boron ppb NL= 1000 NA 100 Range NA 470-910 ND-150 NA Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastesAverage130620ND130 Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range 67-68 17-30 59-76 63-71 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 68 21 69 67 Chlorate ppb NL= 800 NA 20 Range 250-440 NA NA NA By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverage336NANA75 Chromium VI ppb NA 0.02 NA Range 0.03-0.22 ND ND ND Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; discharge from industrial waste factoriesAverage0.11 ND ND ND Corrosivity (h) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA Range NA 10.3-11.2 12.2-12.7 12.4-12.5 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage13.0 10.5 12.4 12.4 Corrosivity (i) (as Saturation Index)SI NA NA NA Range NA 0.04-0.59 NR 0.58-0.75 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factorsAverage0.82 0.23 NR 0.66 Hardness (as CaCO3) (j)ppm NA NA NA Range NA 42-76 242-304 263-282 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 270 52 278 272 Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 1-2 23-28 24-26 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average 25 1 26 25 N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)ppt NL=10 3 (2)Range ND NA NA NA Runoff/leaching from natural deposits Average ND NA NA 4 pH pH Units NA NA NA Otay Distribution System Range: 7.9-8.5 Otay Distribution System Average: 8.3 Potassium ppm NA NA NA Range 4.7-4.8 NA 4.7-5.1 4.4-4.8 Naturally present in the environment Average 4.8 NA 4.9 4.6 Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range NA 53-65 83-100 96-103 Naturally present in the environment Average 98 59 94 100 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 Otay Water District’s Annual Water Quality Report 2022 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 2022, 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. 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 cerca de 228,000 habitantes dentro de un área de 125 millas cuadradas que incluye las comunidades del este de Chula Vista, Bonita, Jamul, Spring Valley, Rancho San Diego, áreas no incorporadas de El Cajón y La Mesa, y el este de Otay Mesa a lo largo de la frontera internacional con México. El Distrito compra el 100% de su agua tratada. El 85% de esa agua es importada del río Colorado y el Proyecto Estatal de Agua de California, y el otro 15% proviene de suministros locales incluyendo almace- namientos 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 Robert 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 evaluaciones 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 general- mente 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, que también se transmiten en vivo en otaywater.gov. Para la dirección, agendas e información adicional, por favor llame al (619) 670-2222 o visite otaywater.gov. Informe de confianza al consumidor 11 La Junta Directiva del Distrito de Agua de Otay Mark Robak, Presidente ....................................................División 5 Jose Lopez, Vicepresidente .........................................División 4 Ryan Keyes, Tesorero ...........................................................División 2 Tim Smith, Director .................................................................División 1 Gary Croucher, Director ..................................................División 3 Agua segura Las fuentes de agua potable incluyen los océanos, ríos, lagos, arroyos, estanques, reservorios, manan- tiales 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 canti- dades 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 proporcio- nar 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. 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. Planta Desalinizadora Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad 12 • 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 727 millas de redes de distribución o líneas de servicio de agua del Distrito está 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% de las muestras de agua arrojaron niveles de plomo muy por debajo del nivel de acción de 15 partes por mil millones. Para más información acerca del plomo en el agua potable, visite epa.gov/lead. 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 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% 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. 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 6 a 9 pies de profundidad) Una parte por mil millones (1 PPMM)equivale a: 13 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. Instale un sistema de filtración de agua en el hogar. Estos sistemas son prácticos, son 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. 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 partici- pación 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 División de Agua Potable: (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