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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2010 (published in 2011)Consumer Confidence Report 2011 Lo n g W a l k S h o r t P i e r – Y u r i H a n Lo n e l y A u t u m n – C o n n i e H u y n h Big G u y – E d u a r d o H e r n a n d e z Wa t e r D u s t — V i c t o r i a S m i t h 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 (Helix 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. Contaminants that may be present in home plumbing systems: • If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The Otay Water District is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but 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. Your Consumer Confidence Report www.otaywater.gov Be s i d e t h e M o v i n g W a t e r — Na t a l i e H u n t & C h e l s e a T h o m p s o n 1 s t P l a c e , O t a y W a t e r D i s t r i c t 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 exceeded a health-related maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. 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 http://water.epa.gov/drink/index.cfm. 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. Source Water Assessments The sources of water delivered by the Otay Water District include the Colorado River, the State Water Project, and local supplies. The agencies that supply treated drinking water to the Otay Water District, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, San Diego County Water Authority, and the Helix Water District, are required to perform Source Water Assessments on their raw water supplies. If you would like copies of the Source Water Assessments, please contact Mr. Gary Stalker, Systems Operation Manager, at (619) 670-2228. 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. residential water treatment devices • Another possibility is to install a home water filter system. The systems are convenient, easy to use, and enhance the taste of water. These systems achieve the same desired results, while still costing a fraction of the price of bottled water. For more information on California state certified residential water treatment devices, click on the Devices and Machines link under the Certificates & Licenses tab of the California Department of Public Health website, www.cdph.ca.gov/ certlic/drinkingwater/Pages/default.aspx. Te a r o f J o y — Ya s a m i n N a b i z a d e h My K e y s ! — D y l a n C h a s e De w t o B l o o m — Ad r i a n a V a s q u e z Be a u t y a t S u n s e t — Be n n y T h o m p s o n Po r t a l – K a i t l i n W i n t e r s parameTer uniTs sTaTe or federal mCl [mrdl] phG(mClG)[mrdlG] sTaTedlr ranGe averaGe Twin oaksplanT helix planT skinner planT major sourCes in drinkinG waTer primarY sTandards--mandatory health-related standards ClariTY Combined FilterEffluent Turbidity NTU%0.395 (a)NA NA Highest 0.66 0.06 0.05 Soil runoff% < 0.3 99.97 100 100 miCroBioloGiCal Total Coliform Bacteria (b)%5.0 0 NA Distribution System-wide: Otay Distribution System=0.1%Naturally present in the environment E. coli (c)(c)0 NA Distribution System-wide: Otay Distribution System=0%Human and animal fecal waste inorGaniC ChemiCals Aluminum (d)ppb 1000 600 50 Range ND 110 - 220 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageND163ND Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2 Range 1.9 ND - 2.2 ND Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics production wastesAverage1.9 ND ND Barium ppb 1000 2000 100 Range 94 ND - 120 ND - 120 Oil and metal refineries discharge;natural deposits, erosionAverage94ND110 FluorideTreatment-related ppm 2.0 1 0.1 Control Range 0.7 - 1.3 Water additive Optimal Level 0.8 OtayDistribution System Range: 0.5 - 0.9 OtayDistribution System Average: 0.7 Nitrate (as N)ppm 10 10 0.4 Range ND - 0.61 0.22 - 0.33 ND Runoff and leaching from fertilizer use; septic tank and sewage; natural deposits erosionAverage0.30 0.28 ND radioloGiCals Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 0 3 Range ND - 9.2 NA 3.3 - 4.3 Erosion of natural deposits Average 3.8 NA 3.6 Gross BetaParticle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 0 4 Range ND NA ND - 8.8 Decay of natural and man-made deposits Average ND NA ND Uranium pCi/L 20 0.43 1 Range 2.5 - 4.1 NA 2.3 - 2.7 Erosion of natural deposits Average 3.3 NA 2.5 disinfeCTion BY-produCTs, disinfeCTanT residuals, and disinfeCTion BY-produCTs preCursors Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM)ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = 27 - 79 By-product of drinking water chlorination 80 NA 1 Highest RAA = 42 Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5) ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = 10 - 34 By-product of drinking water chlorination 60 NA 1 Highest RAA = 19 Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = ND - 4.5 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment [4.0] (f)[4.0]NA Highest RAA = 2.5 DBP Precursors Control(TOC)ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 2.0 - 2.4 2.3 - 2.3 1.8 - 2.3 Various natural and man-made sources Average 2.2 2.3 2.1 primarY sTandards — lead and Copper rule — sampled aT home Tap in 2008 Copper (g) 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 (g) 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 Water Quality Report aBBreviaTions definiTions Al ..........Aggressiveness Index 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 Twin oaksplanT helix planT skinner planT major sourCes in drinkinG waTer seCondarY sTandards--aesthetic standards Aluminum (d)ppb 200 600 50 Range ND 110 - 220 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosion Average ND 163 ND Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range 97 82 - 94 88 - 98 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence Average 97 88 96 Color Units 15 NA NA Range ND - 3 1 - 2 1 Naturally occurring organic materials Average ND ND 1 Odor Threshold (h)TON 3 NA 1 Range ND ND - 2 19 - 35 Naturally-occurring organic materials Average ND ND 25 Specific Conductance µS/cm 1600 NA NA Range 880 860 - 1000 720 - 1000 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence Average 880 930 940 Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range 200 150 - 230 160 - 240 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage200183210 Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range 530 480 - 610 480 - 610 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence Average 530 527 560 Turbidity (a)NTU 5 NA NA Range 0.01 - 0.66 0.04 - 0.06 0.03 - 0.06 Soil runoff Average 0.03 0.05 0.05 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 110 120 - 130 91 - 130 Average 110 125 110 Boron ppb NA NL=1000 100 Range 140 ND 120 - 130 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes Average 140 ND 120 Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range 56 53 - 76 52 - 70 Average 56 61 64 Chlorate ppb NA NL=800 20 Range 180 - 340 ND 47 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processes Average 263 ND 26 - 110 Chromium VI ppb NA NA 0.03 Range ND ND 0.08 - 0.23 Industrial waste discharge; could be naturally present as well Average ND ND 0.16 Corrosivity (i) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA Range 12 12 12 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factors Average 12 12 12 Hardness (j)ppm NA NA NA Range 230 220 - 310 190 - 300 Municipal and industrial waste discharges Average 230 253 260 Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range 22 22 - 28 21 - 28 Average 22 25 25 pH pH Units NA NA NA Range 7.6 7.8 - 8.0 7.7 - 8.3 Average 7.6 7.9 7.9 Potassium ppm NA NA NA Range 4.0 4.0 - 4.8 3.9 - 4.8 Average 4.0 4.5 4.7 Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range 85 77 - 98 80 - 100 Average 85 85 91 N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)ppt Distribution System-wide:Range ND ND ND - 2 By-product of drinking water chloramination; industrial processes NA 3 2 Average ND ND ND 2010 Water Quality Report 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) The MCL is based on the RAA concentration. The MCL was not violated. (g) 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 every three years. 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. (h) The Skinner Plant utilizes a flavor-profile analysis method that can detect odor occurrences more accurately, but has a different numbering scale. (i) AI<10.0 = Highly aggressive and very corrosive water AI>12 = Non-aggressive water AI (10.0 -11.9 ) = Moderately aggressive water (j) Hardness can also be reported in grains per gallon. The distribution system average is 14.5 grains per gallon of hardness. 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 excedido un nivel máximo de contaminante o ningún otro estándar de calidad del agua que impacte la salud. 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 Eastlake 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 2010 y el 2011. Lea el título de cada foto para créditos de fotografía. Concurso de Fotografía para alumnos de Preparatoria “San Diego Water Colors” Fu t u r e R e f l e c t i o n – O l i v i a T h o m a s Re g i o n a l W i n n e r , W a t e r C o l o r s H i g h S c h o o l P h o t o C o n t e s t 2n d P l a c e , O t a y W a t e r D i s t r i c t 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 (916) 558-1784 www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/pages/ddwem.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. 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. Additional Fluoride Information Available Conservation. It’s Easy to Conserve! 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 Gary Croucher, Vice President ................Division 3 David Gonzalez, Treasurer ....................Division 1 Jose Lopez, Director .........................Division 4 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 Diego County between 2010 and 2011 that incorporated water in some way. See each photo’s caption for photographer credits. San Diego Water Colors High School Photo Contest Ac o r n P r i s m a t i c — Ale j a n d r i n a A c e r e t o Au t u m n ’ s R e f l e c t i o n — Vic t o r i a S m i t h Am p h i b i a n P h o t o g r a p h y — Cin d y F i f i e l d Tim e i s M o n e y a n d t h e Me t e r i s R u n n i n g — Rh e t t M c G i n t y , 3 r d P l a c e , Ot a y W a t e r D i s t r i c t Sh o r t f a l l t o R e f l e c t i o n — Ja m e s B u r t o n 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 ConsumerConfidenceReport 2011 www.otaywater.gov Gr e e n L e a f T e a P a r t y – E r i k a B r o w n