HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2009 (published in 2010)Consumer ConfidenceReport
2010
Sources
The Otay Water District imports an average of 81 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 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:
• 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 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.
Contaminant 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
cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing
components. When your water has been sitting for
several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead
exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 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 from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
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. Included
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 of California’s
Department of Public Health (CDPH) prescribe
regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in
water provided by public water systems. CDPH regulations
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.
Immunocompromised 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 Cryptosporidium and
other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791.
ConservationIt’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
much 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 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
• To enhance the taste of tap water, one simple
suggestion is to leave an open pitcher in the
refrigerator overnight. The exposure to the air allows
the small amount of chlorine to evaporate. Using the
chilled water pitcher with refillable water bottles or
thermoses allows for an inexpensive way to achieve
portability and a refreshing taste.
Water filtration systems
• 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.
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]
sTaTedlr ranGe averaGe skinnerplanT helix planT TWin oaks planT major sourCes in drinkinG WaTer
Percent StateProject Water %NA NA NA Range 6-52 6-52 6-52
Average 20 20 20
primarY sTandards--mandatory health-related standards
ClariTY
Combined FilterEffluent Turbidity NTU%0.395 (a)NA NA Highest 0.08 0.09 0.58 Soil runoff
% < 0.3 100 100 99.996
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 170 - 310 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageND250ND
Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2 Range ND ND-2.1 ND - 3.5 Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics production wastesAverageNDNDND
Barium ppb 1000 2000 100 Range ND - 110 100 - 130 110 Oil and metal refineries discharge;natural deposits, erosionAverageND115110
FluorideTreatment-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 0.7 - 1.0 0.7 - 1.0
Average 0.8 0.8 0.8
Nitrate (as N)ppm 10 10 0.4 Range 0.7 - 1.7 ND ND Runoff and leaching from fertilizer use; septic tank and sewage; natural deposits erosionAverage1.4 ND ND
radioloGiCals
Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 (0)3 Range 3.3 - 4.3 3.2-5.4 ND - 9.2 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 3.6 4.6 3.8
Gross BetaParticle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 (0)4 Range ND - 8.8 NA ND Decay of natural and man-made deposits
Average ND NA ND
Uranium pCi/L 20 0.43 1 Range 2.3 - 2.7 1.6-4.6 2.5 - 4.1 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 2.5 3.1 3.3
disinfeCTion BY-produCTs, disinfeCTanT residuals, and disinfeCTion BY-produCTs preCursors
Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM)ppb Distribution System-wide:1 Otay Distribution System Range = 25 - 58 By-product of drinking water disinfection
80 NA Highest RAA average = 39
Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5) ppb Distribution System-wide:1 Otay Distribution System Range = 6 - 20 By-product of drinking water chlorination
60 NA Highest RAA average = 11
Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:NA Otay Distribution System Range = 0.2 - 3.8 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment
[4.0][4.0]Highest RAA average = 2.5
DBP Precursors Control ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 1.8 - 2.3 2.2 - 3.7 1.9 - 3.4 Various natural and man-made sources
Average 2.2 3.6 2.2
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 natural 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 natural deposits90th percentile=2
2010 otay Water district Consumer Confidence report
aBBreviaTions
definiTions
AI .........Aggressiveness Index
AL .........Action Level
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
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
• maximum Contaminant level (mCl): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.
• maximum Contaminant level Goal (mClG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• public health Goal (phG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency.
• maximum residual disinfectant level (mrdl): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convin-cing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
• maximum residual disinfectant level Goal (mrdlG): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
• Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
parameTer uniTs sTaTe or federal mCl [mrdl]
phG(mClG)[mrdlG]
sTaTedlr ranGe averaGe skinnerplanT helix planT TWin oaks planT major sourCes in drinkinG WaTer
seCondarY sTandards--aesthetic standards
Aluminum (d)ppb 200 600 50 Range ND 170 - 310 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosion
Average ND 250 ND
Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range 93 - 100 85 - 92 98 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 97 89 98
Color Units 15 NA NA Range 1 - 2 1 - 2 ND Naturally occurring organic materials
Average 1 1 ND
Odor Threshold (g)TON 3 NA 1 Range 12 - 24 NA ND - 2 Naturally-occurring organic materials
Average 18 NA ND
Specific Conductance µS/cm 1600 NA NA Range 760 - 1100 930 - 990 930 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence
Average 960 960 930
Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range 130 - 250 200 - 240 200 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage220220200
Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range 440 - 640 620 - 630 580 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 580 625 580
Turbidity (a)NTU 5 NA NA Range 0.04 - 0.05 0.04 - 0.05 0.01 - 0.58 Soil runoff
Average 0.05 0.05 0.03
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 - 120 113 - 132 120
Average 110 122 120
Boron ppb NA NL=1000 100 Range 130 - 140 150 ND Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes
Average 140 150 ND
Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range 44 - 74 68 - 75 64
Average 65 72 64
Chlorate ppb NA NL=800 20 Range 34 NA 220 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processes
Average 34 NA 220
Chromium VI
ppb NA NA 0.03
Range 0.08 - 0.23 ND ND Industrial waste discharge; could be naturally present as well
Average 0.16 ND ND
Corrosivity (h) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA
Range 12 12 13 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factors
Average 12 12 13
Hardness ppm NA NA NA Range 190 - 300 280 - 300 260 Municipal and industrial waste discharges
Average 270 290 260
Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range 20 - 29 26 - 28 25
Average 26 27 25
pH pH Units NA NA NA Range 7.8 - 8.0 7.8 - 8.0 8.0
Average 7.9 7.9 8.0
Potassium ppm NA NA NA Range 4.2 - 5.0 4.8 - 5.6 4.4
Average 4.7 5.2 4.4
Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range 78 - 100 93 - 100 92
Average 93 97 92
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)ppt Distribution System-wide:2
Range ND - 0.002 NA NA By-product of drinking water chloramination; industrial processes
NA 3 Average ND NA NA
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
(i) Hardness can be reported in grains per gallon. The average is 16 grains per gallon.
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 operados
por Otay Water District, deben cumplir con estándares
para agua potable muy altos impuestos por la United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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 proporcionar
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 consumidores
que deciden comprar una unidad de tratamiento de agua
para casas deben leer cuidadosamente la información del
producto para que comprendan lo que están comprando.
También, deben seguir cuidadosamente las instrucciones de
manufactura para la operación y mantenimiento del sistema,
y recordar cambiarle el filtro de una manera regular.
Otay Water District (OWD) esta orgulloso de proporcionarle su
reporte 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
representa 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
estándares de salud del EPA 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
Le gusta las imágenes que ve en este informe? Algunas fueron tomadas
por estudiantes de preparatoria que presentaron su trabajo a un concurso
de fotografía patrocinado por el Distrito. El concurso, que tenía como
propósito hacer hincapié sobre la importancia del tema del agua, el
recurso vital más valioso, requirió que los estudiantes presentaran
fotografías que incorporaran el tema del agua y que se hayan tomado en el
Condado de San Diego entre el 2009 y el 2010.
Concurso de Fotografía para alumnos de Preparatoria “San Diego Water Colors”
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: 1-800-426-4791
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 Fluoridation 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 closely monitors
fluoride levels throughout its service area and posts this
information to our website on a monthly basis. Please
visit the Otay Water District’s website to view test results.
For more information about fluoridation, oral health, and
current issues, please visit www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/
drinkingwater/Pages/Fluoridation.aspx.
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
public 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
Jaime Bonilla, President ...............Division 2
Jose Lopez, Vice President ...........Division 4
Gary Croucher, Treasurer ..............Division 3
Larry Breitfelder, Director .............Division 1
Mark Robak, Director .....................Division 5
www.otaywater.gov
E-mail: opinion_form@otaywater.gov
Like the pictures you see in this report? Some were taken by local high
school students who submitted their work to a photo contest sponsored
by the District. The contest, designed to draw attention to our most
precious resource, required that students submit photos taken in San Di-
ego County between 2009 and 2010 that incorporated water in some way.
San Diego Water Colors High School Photo Contest
oTaY WaTer disTriCT
2254 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.
Spring Valley, CA 91978-2096
619-670-2222
Pr-Srt Std.
US Postage
paid
Permit No.2
San Diego CA
ConsumerConfidence Report 2010
www.otaywater.gov