HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2008 (published in 2009)Consumer
Confidence
Report
2009
Sources
The Otay Water District imports an average of 85 percent
of its water. Imported water is a blend of Colorado River
water and State Water Project water. This imported water
is treated by the San Diego County Water Authority and
the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
The Otay Water District purchases treated water from the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s R.A.
Skinner Treatment Plant (Skinner Plant), the County Water
Authority’s Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant (Twin
Oaks Plant), and from the Helix Water District’s R.M. Levy
Treatment Plant (Levy Plant).
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled
water) include 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, and can
pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals
or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present
in source water include:
s -ICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS VIRUSES AND BACTERIA
that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic
systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
s )NORGANIC 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.
s 0ESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES THAT MAY COME FROM A VARI-
ety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater
runoff, and residential uses.
s /RGANIC CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS INCLUDING SYNTHETIC
and volatile organic chemicals that are byproducts of
industrial processes and petroleum production, and
can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater
runoff, agricultural application, and septic systems.
s 2ADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS THAT CAN BE NATURALLY
occurring or be the result of oil and gas production
and mining activities.
The Otay Water District is pleased to provide you with your annual consumer
confidence report. This report is a snapshot of last year’s water quality. Includ-
ed are details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it
compares to state standards.
The information included in this water quality report represents only
a small fraction of what we do to ensure high quality drinking water.
Using one or more state certified laboratories, we routinely scrutinize the
water supply for an entire 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 of California drinking water health standards. The Otay
Water District vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are
proud to report that our system has never violated a maximum contaminant
level or any other water quality standard.
Your
Consumer
Confidence
Report
www.otaywater.gov
Safety
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to
drink, the USEPA and the State Department
of Public Health (Department) prescribe
regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in
water provided by public water systems. Department regula-
tions also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water
that must provide the same protection for public health.
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. More
information about contaminants and potential health
effects can be obtained by calling the USEPA’s Safe
Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791 or online
at www.epa.gov/safewater/hfacts.html.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in
drinking water than the general population. Immunocom-
promised persons such as persons with cancer under-
going chemo therapy, persons who have undergone organ
transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system
disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly
at risk from infections. These people should seek advice
about drinking water from their health care providers.
USEPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on
appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Crypto-
sporidium and other microbial contaminants are available
from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
Conservation
It’s Easy to Conserve!
San Diego County has a semi-arid climate that receives
only about 10 inches of rainfall per year. This does not
provide enough water to meet local needs and the region
must import as much as 82 percent of its water from the
Colorado River and Northern California. To maintain our
quality of life and ensure adequate water supplies now
and for future generations, San Diego County residents are
encouraged to make a conscious effort to use our limited
supply of water as efficiently as possible.
The Otay Water District offers a number of programs to
save water both indoors and outdoors. For water wise
landscaping tips, visit the Water Conservation Garden at
Cuyamaca College or go to www.thegarden.org. For useful
ways to conserve water around the house visit our website
at www.otaywater.gov and click on conservation.
The Truth about Tap
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 25-40% of the bottled water on the
market is simply repackaged tap water.
Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act, while
bottled water is considered a food and is thus regulated
by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Though some
bottlers may voluntarily exceed FDA standards, those
standards are less stringent than the EPA standards for
tap water. For more information, visit www.DrinkTap.org.
YOUR OPTIONS — During these economically sensitive
times, it’s important to know that you have other, more
affordable, options to bottled water.
Chill a pitcher of tap water in your refrigerator
s 4O ENHANCE THE TASTE OF TAP WATER ONE SIMPLE SUG-
gestion is to leave an open pitcher in the refrigerator
overnight. The exposure to the air allows the small
amount of chlorine, which is added to all tap water to
ensure adequate disinfection and maintain high qual-
ity, to evaporate. Using the chilled water pitcher with
refillable water bottles or thermoses allows for an
inexpensive way to achieve portability and a refresh-
ing taste.
Water Filtration Systems
s !NOTHER POSSIBILITY IS TO INSTALL A HOME WATER lLTER
system. These 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.
For more information on California state certified water
filtration systems, click on the Devices and Machines
link under the Certificates and Licenses section of the
California Department of Public Health website,
www.cdph.ca.gov.
PARAMETER UNITS
STATE OR
FEDERAL MCL
[MRDL]
PHG
(MCLG)
[MRDLG]
STATE
DLR
RANGE AVE-
RAGE
SKINNER
PLANT
HELIX
PLANT
TWIN OAKS
PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER
Percent State
Project Water %NANANARange 20-42 0-54 20-42
Average 31 29 31
PRIMARY STANDARDS--Mandatory Health-Related Standards
CLARITY
Combined Filter
Effluent Turbidity NTU
%
0.3
95 (a)NA NA
Highest 0.08 0.08 0.08 Soil runoff
% < 0.3 100 100 100
MICROBIOLOGICAL
Total Coliform Bacteria (b)Distribution System-wide:(0) NA Otay Distribution System = 0.1%
Naturally present in the environment
% 5.0
E. coli Distribution System-wide:(0) NA Otay Distribution System = 0%
Human and animal fecal waste
(c) (c)
INORGANIC CHEMICALS
Aluminum (d)ppb 1000 600 50
Range ND 120 - 300 ND - 28 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits
erosionAverageND 188 ND
Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2
Range ND ND-2.1 ND Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics
production wastesAverageND ND ND
Barium ppb 1000 2000 100
Range ND-115 ND-110 100 Oil and metal refineries discharge;
natural deposits erosionAverage107 103 100
Fluoride
Treatment-related
ppm 2.0 1 0.1
Control Range 0.7 - 1.3 0.7 - 1.3 0.7 - 1.3 Water additive
Optimal Level 0.8 0.8 0.8
Range 0.7 - 1.0 0.4 - 1.0 0.8 - 0.9
Average 0.8 0.9 0.8
Nitrate (as N)ppm 10 10 0.4
Range ND - 0.5 ND ND Runoff and leaching from fertilizer use; septic tank and sewage;
natural deposits erosionAverageND ND ND
RADIOLOGICALS
Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 (0) 3
Range 3.3 - 4.3 3.2-5.4 ND Erosion of natural deposits
Average 3.6 4.6 ND
Gross Beta
Particle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 (0) 4
Range ND - 8.8 NA ND Decay of natural and man-made deposits
Average ND NA ND
Radium 228
pCi/L NA 0.019 1
Range ND ND 1.12 Erosion of natural deposits
Average ND ND 1.12
Uranium
pCi/L 20 0.43 1
Range 2.3 - 2.7 1.6-4.6 1.9 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 2.5 3.1 1.9
DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS, DISINFECTANT RESIDUALS, AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS PRECURSORS
Total Trihalomethanes
(TTHM)ppb Distribution System-wide:1 Otay Distribution System Range = 33 - 51 By-product of drinking water chlorination
80 NA Otay Distribution System Highest RAA Average = 50
Haloacetic Acids (five)
(HAA5)ppb Distribution System-wide:1 Otay Distribution System Range = 7 - 19 By-product of drinking water chlorination
60 NA Otay Distribution System Highest RAA Average = 18
Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:NA Otay Distribution System Range = 0.2 - 4.0 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment
[4.0] [4.0] Otay Distribution System Highest RAA Average = 2.5
DBP Precursors Control
(TOC) (h)ppm TT NA 0.30
Range 1.9 - 2.5 2.0 - 2.9 1.9 - 2.7 Various natural and man-made sources
Average 2.2 2.1 2.3
PRIMARY STANDARDS — LEAD AND COPPER RULE — SAMPLED AT HOME TAP IN 2008
Copper (f)ppm NL=1.3 0.17 0.05
0 sites above NL out of 54 sampled Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of nautural
deposits90th percentile=0.33
Lead (f)ppb NL=15 2 5
0 sites above NL out of 54 sampled Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of nautural
deposits90th percentile=2
2009 Otay Water District Consumer Confidence Report
ABBREVIATIONS
AI Aggressiveness Index
AL Action Level
CFU Colony-Forming Units
DBP Disinfection By-Products
DLR Detection Limits for purposes of Reporting
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
P or ND Positive or Not Detected
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
TOC Total Organic Carbon
TON Threshold Odor Number
TT Treatment Technique
μS/cm microSiemen per centimeter
PARAMETER UNITS
STATE OR
FEDERAL
MCL [MRDL]
PHG
(MCLG)
[MRDLG]
STATE
DLR
RANGE
AVERAGE
SKINNER
PLANT
HELIX
PLANT
TWIN OAKS
PLANT MAJOR SOURCES IN DRINKING WATER
SECONDARY STANDARDS--Aesthetic Standards
Aluminum (d)ppb 200 600 50
Range ND 120 - 300 ND - 28 Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosion
Average ND 188 ND
Chloride ppm 500 NA NA
Range 92 - 99 87 - 92 95 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 96 89 95
Color Units 15 NA NA
Range 2 1 - 2 ND - 2 Naturally occurring organic materials
Average 21ND
Odor Threshold TON 3 NA 1
Range 7 - 29 (g) NA 1 Naturally-occurring organic materials
Average 17 (g) NA 1
Specific Conductance μS/cm 1600 NA NA
Range 857 - 971 842 - 940 920 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence
Average 913 895 920
Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5
Range 173 - 221 170 - 190 200 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;
industrial wastesAverage195 180 200
Total Dissolved Solids
(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA
Range 502 - 590 506 - 580 530 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 542 545 530
Turbidity (a)NTU 5 NA NA
Range 0.04 - 0.05 0.04 - 0.08 0.05 - 0.08 Soil runoff
Average 0.05 0.05 0.06
FEDERAL UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS MONITORING RULE (UCMR2)
List 1 - Assessment Monitoring ND ND ND
List 2 - Screening Survey ND ND ND
OTHER PARAMETERS - Chemical
Alkalinity ppm NA NA NA
Range 94 - 113 108 - 130 120
Average 105 122 120
Boron ppb NA NL=1000 100 Range 120 - 150 120 - 140 150 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes
Average 140 125 150
Calcium ppm NA NA NA
Range 52 - 67 57 - 61 60
Average 59 59 60
Chlorate ppb NA NL=800 20
Range 24 - 58 NA 308 - 350 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processes
Average 25 NA 329
Chromium VI
ppb NA NA 0.03
Range 0.09 - 0.30 ND ND Industrial waste discharge; could be naturally present as well
Average .021 ND ND
Corrosivity (h)
(as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA
Range 12.1 - 12.4 NA 12.0 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factors
Average 12.3 NA 12.0
Hardness
ppm NA NA NA
Range 222 - 273 250-260 250 Municipal and industrial waste discharges
Average 247 249 250
Magnesium ppm NA NA NA
Range 21 - 27 23 - 26 24
Average 24 24 24
pH pH Units NA NA NA
Range 8.0 - 8.2 8.0 - 8.1 8.1
Average 8.1 8.1 8.1
Potassium ppm NA NA NA
Range 4.1 - 4.7 4.5 - 4.8 4.5
Average 4.5 4.6 4.5
Sodium
ppm NA NA NA
Range 83 - 94 78 - 92 94
Average 89 87 94
Vanadium
ppb NA NL=50 3
Range ND 3.7 - 5.2 ND Natually-occuring, industrial waste discharge
Average ND 4.5 ND
N-Nitrosodimethylamine
(NDMA)ppt
Distribution System-wide:
2
Range ND 3.0 ND By-product of drinking water chloramination; industrial
processes
NA 3
Average ND - 10 ND - 3.3 ND
FOOTNOTES
(a) The turbidity level of the filtered water shall be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of the
measurements taken each month and shall not exceed 1 NTU at any time. Turbidity is a
measure of the cloudiness of the water and is an indicator of treatment performance. The
averages and ranges of turbidity shown in the Secondary Standards were based on the
treatment plant effluent.
(b) Total coliform MCLs: No more than 5.0% of the monthly samples may be total coliform-
positive.
(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. The screening level is 50 pCi/L.
(f) 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’ 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.
(g) Metropolitan utilizes a flavor-profile analysis method that can detect odor occurrences more
accurately, but has a different numbering scale.
(h) AI <10.0 = Highly aggressive and very corrosive water
AI > 12.0 = Non-aggressive water
AI (10.0 - 11.9 ) = Moderately aggressive water
Todos tienen interés en la calidad de su agua y algunos a
veces preguntan, “¿Puedo sentirme seguro bebiendo agua
de la llave?” En el Condado de San Diego, la respuesta es
que sí. Sistemas Públicos de Agua, tales como los opera-
dos por Otay Water District, deben cumplir con estándares
para agua potable muy altos impuestos por la United
States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
El agua de la llave es regulada de una manera más
rigurosa que el agua embotellada y debe cumplir con
todos los estándares de calidad de agua tanto
federales como estatales. Estas regulaciones
son típicamente límites numéricos en
las concentraciones, o cantidades de
ciertos contaminantes en el agua. Para
poder cumplir con estas regulaciones,
los suministros de agua deben pro-
porcionar un tratamiento específico,
como desinfección y filtración,
para asegurar que el agua sea
potable.
Si todavía estas preocupado o prefieres beber agua con
un sabor diferente, puedes comprar agua embotellada,
pero puede costar hasta 1,000 veces más que el agua de
la llave. Además, existen otras opciones más económicas
que comprar agua embotellada. Para mejorar el sabor o
el olor del agua de la llave, la cual esta tratada con cloro
para asegurar una desinfección adecuada y mantener su
alta calidad, la manera más fácil de hacer esto es dejar
un recipiente abierto en el refrigerador toda la noche. Al
exponer el agua al aire permite que cantidades pequeñas
de cloro se evaporen. Además enfriar el agua la hace más
refrescante.
Otras opciones incluyen sistemas de filtración para casas
que son convenientes, mejoran el sabor, y solo cuestan
una fracción del precio de agua embotellada. Los consumi-
dores que deciden comprar una unidad de tratamiento de
agua para casas deben leer cuidadosamente la informa-
ción del producto para que comprendan lo que están
comprando. También, deben seguir cuidadosamente las
instrucciones de manufactura para la operación y manten-
imiento del sistema, y recordar cambiarle el filtro de una
manera regular.
Otay Water District (OWD) esta orgulloso de proporcionarle su re-
porte de confianza al consumidor. Este folleto es una fotografía de
la calidad del agua del año pasado. Vienen incluidos los detalles de
donde proviene el agua, que contiene y como se compara con los
estándares del estado.
La información incluida en este reporte de calidad del agua repre-
senta una pequeña fracción de lo que hacemos para asegurar agua
potable de alta calidad. Usando laboratorios certificados por el
estado, rutinariamente escudriñamos el suministro de agua por un
completo rango de elementos que tienen el potencial de degradar la
calidad de su agua.
Así como en años pasados, su agua potable reunió todos los es-
tándares de salud del USEPA y el estado para agua potable. OWD de
una manera vigilante salvaguarda los suministros de agua y una vez
más estamos orgullosos de reportar que nuestro sistema nunca ha
violado un nivel contaminante máximo o ningún otro estándar de
calidad del agua.
Una Plática Directa Sobre Agua
Su Reporte de
Confianza al
Consumidor
www.otaywater.gov
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable.
Tradúzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Mahalaga ang impormasyong ito. Mangyaring ipasalin ito
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 Gary Stalker, System
Operations Manager, at (619) 670-2228 or visit our website at www.otaywater.gov. You can also find
helpful information by contacting the following agencies:
California Department of Public Health
Division of Drinking Water and
Environmental Management
1350 Front Street. Room 2050
San Diego, CA 92115
www. cdph.ca.gov/programs/
Pages/DWP.aspx
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
www.epa.gov/safewater/
The Otay Water District purchases drinking water from
multiple sources. Our water wholesalers each add fluoride
to the water supply in compliance with the California Fluo-
ridation Act of 1995. Due to the blending of waters, which
varies by region and time of year, fluoride concentrations
may vary slightly between test stations.
Otay Water District laboratory personnel will closely moni-
tor fluoride levels throughout its service area and will post
this information to our website on a monthly basis. Please
visit our website for more information and to view test
results.
Additional Fluoride Information Available
For More Information
Public Participation
The Otay Water District encourages public participation
from the customers we serve. The board of directors
generally meets on the first Wednesday of each month
at 3:30 p.m. at district headquarters, 2554 Sweetwater
Springs Blvd., Spring Valley, 91978. We encourage the pub-
lic to attend these meetings.
For directions, agendas or for further information, call
(619) 670-2222 or visit our website at www.otaywater.gov.
Otay Water District Board of Directors
Gary Croucher, President .............. Division 3
Jose Lopez, Vice President ........... Division 4
Jaime Bonilla, Treasurer ............... Division 2
Larry Breitfelder, Director ............. Division 1
Mark Robak, Director ..................... Division 5
www.otaywater.gov
E-mail: opinion_form@otaywater.gov
OTAY WATER DISTRICT
2254 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2096
619-670-2222
Pr-Srt Std.
US Postage
PAID
Permit No.700
San Diego CA
Consumer
Confidence
Report 2009
www.otaywater.gov