HomeMy WebLinkAboutConsumer Confidence Report - For calendar year 2012 (published in 2013)2013Consumer Confidence Report
www.otaywater.gov
Your Consumer ConfidenCe report
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.
About the otAY WAter distriCt
the otay Water district is a California
special district established by the state
Legislature in 1956 as a public water service
provider. today the district delivers potable
water to more than 211,000 residents
residing within a 125.5 square mile service
territory that includes the communities of
spring Valley, La presa, rancho san diego,
and Jamul, as well as communities in the
city of Chula Vista and the city of san diego
on otay mesa.
the otay Water district imports an average
of 89 percent of its water. imported water is
a blend of Colorado river water and state
Water project water. 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).
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,
system operations manager, at (619) 670-2228.
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 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 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.
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 at 1-800-426-4791 or
at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
AdditionAL fLuoride informAtion AVAiLAbLe
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
the truth About tAp WAter
Beliefs: surveys have found that most consumers who drink bottled water do so
because they enjoy its taste or its portable convenience. others drink bottled water
because they believe it to be 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 percent of the bottled water on the market is simply repackaged
tap water.
tap water is regulated by the u.s. environmental protection Agency 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, both bottled water and public water supplies in the united states
must meet similar standards for safe drinking 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.
using the chilled water pitcher with refillable water bottles or thermoses
is environmentally friendly and allows for an inexpensive way to achieve
refreshing portability.
Residential water treatment devices.
Another possibility is to install a home water 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/device/pages/watertreatmentdevices.aspx
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 Filter NTU 0.3 NA NA Highest 0.04 0.16 0.06
Effluent Turbidity %95 (a)NA NA % < 0.3 100 100 100 Soil runoff
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 130 - 260 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosionAverageND165ND
Arsenic ppb 10 0.004 2 Range 3.6 ND ND Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics production wastesAverage3.6 ND ND
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
Otay Distribution System Range: 0.5 - 0.9
Otay Distribution System Average: 0.7
RadiOlOGiCals
Gross AlphaParticle Activity pCi/L 15 0 3 Range ND ND - 4.5 ND - 3 Erosion of natural deposits
Average ND ND ND
Gross BetaParticle Activity (e)pCi/L 50 0 4 Range ND ND ND - 5 Decay of natural and man-made deposits
Average ND ND ND
Uranium pCi/L 20 0.43 1 Range 1.0 - 1.7 ND - 1 ND - 2 Erosion of natural deposits
Average 1.3 ND 1
disinFeCTiOn BY-PROdUCTs, disinFeCTanT ResidUals, and disinFeCTiOn BY-PROdUCTs PReCURsORs
Total Trihalomethanes(TTHM)ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = 34 - 85 By-product of drinking water chlorination
80 (f)NA 1 Highest RAA = 52
Haloacetic Acids (five)(HAA5) ppb Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = 6 - 30 By-product of drinking water chlorination
60 (f)NA 1 Highest RAA = 17
Total Chlorine Residual ppm Distribution System-wide:Otay Distribution System Range = ND - 3.7 Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment
4.0 (f)4.0 NA Highest RAA = 2.6
DBP Precursors Control(TOC)ppm TT NA 0.30 Range 2.0 - 3.3 1.7 - 3.3 1.8 - 2.3 Various natural and man-made sources
Average 2.4 2.3 2.1
Bromate ppb 10 (f)0.1 5.0 Range 1.6 - 9.1 ND 1.2 - 11 By-product of drinking water ozonation
Average 3.5 ND 6.5
PRimaRY sTandaRds — lead and COPPeR RUle — samPled aT HOme TaP in 2011
Copper (g) ppm NL=1.3 0.3 0.05
0 sites above NL out of 78 sampled Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of natural deposits90th percentile = 0.32
Lead (g) ppb NL=15 0.2 5
0 sites above NL out of 78 sampled Internal corrosion of household pipes; erosion of natural deposits90th percentile = ND
2012 Water Quality Data
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
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)
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 130 - 260 ND Residue from water treatment process; natural deposits erosion
Average ND 165 ND
Chloride ppm 500 NA NA Range 78 75 - 95 75 - 77 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 78 87 76
Color Units 15 NA NA Range ND ND 1 Naturally occurring organic materials
Average ND ND 1
Odor Threshold TON 3 NA 1 Range 1 1 - 2 1 - 2 Naturally-occurring organic materials
Average 1 1 2
Specific Conductance µS/cm 1600 NA NA Range 640 510 - 840 440 - 780 Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence
Average 640 713 640
Sulfate ppm 500 NA 0.5 Range 96 130 - 180 96 - 120 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits;industrial wastesAverage96160110
Total Dissolved Solids(TDS)ppm 1000 NA NA Range 370 320 - 410 360 - 400 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; seawater influence
Average 370 365 380
Turbidity (a)NTU 5 NA NA Range Otay Distribution System Range: 0.03 - 0.22 Soil runoff
Average Otay Distribution System Average: 0.06
FedeRal UnReGUlaTed COnTaminanTs mOniTORinG RUle (UCmR2)
N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)ppb NA NA 0.002 Range 0.003 ND ND - 0.003 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processesAverage0.003 ND ND
OTHeR PaRameTeRs - Chemical
Alkalinity ppm NA NA NA Range 92 94 - 160 75 - 110
Average 92 140 93
Boron ppb NA NL=1000 100 Range 140 140 130 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes
Average 140 125 130
Calcium ppm NA NA NA Range 37 47 - 54 34 - 41
Average 37 51 38
Chlorate ppb NA NL=800 20 Range 190 - 280 NA 50 By-product of drinking water chlorination; industrial processes
Average 218 NA 50
Chromium VI ppb NA 0.02 1 Range ND ND ND Industrial waste discharge; could be naturally present as well
Average ND ND ND
Corrosivity (h) (as Aggressiveness Index)AI NA NA NA Range 12 NR 12.2 - 12.3 Elemental balance in water; affected by temperature, other factors
Average 12 NR 12.2
Hardness (i)ppm NA NA NA Range 160 200 - 240 120 - 220 Municipal and industrial waste discharges
Average 160 220 170
Magnesium ppm NA NA NA Range 16 19 - 24 15 - 17
Average 16 22 16
pH pH Units NA NA NA Range 7.8 8.1 - 8.4 8.1 - 8.4
Average 7.8 8.2 8.3
Potassium ppm NA NA NA Range 3.5 3.8 - 4.6 3.4 - 3.6
Average 3.5 4.3 3.5
Sodium ppm NA NA NA Range 68 70 - 86 65 - 66
Average 68 78 66
2012 Water Quality Data
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.
(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) Compliance based on running annual average.
(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) AI<10.0 = Highly aggressive and very corrosive water; AI>12 = Non-aggressive water; AI (10.0 -11.9 ) = Moderately aggressive water
(i) Hardness can also be reported in grains per gallon. The distribution system average is 11.1 grains per gallon of hardness.
www.otaywater.gov
su reporte de ConfiAnzA AL Consumidor
el distrito de Agua de otay 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. el distrito de Agua de otay 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 contaminantes o ningún
otro estándar de calidad del agua que impacte la salud.
ACerCA deL distrito de AGuA de otAY
el distrito de Agua de otay es un distrito especial de California establecido por la
Legislatura del estado en 1956 como proveedor de servicios de agua pública. hoy, el
distrito suministra agua potable a más de 211,000 residentes que viven dentro de un
territorio de 125.5 millas cuadradas que incluye las comunidades de spring Valley, La
presa, rancho san diego y Jamul, así como las comunidades de la ciudad de Chula
Vista y la ciudad de san diego en otay mesa. el distrito de Agua de otay importa un
promedio de 89 por ciento de su agua. el agua importada es una mezcla de agua del
río Colorado y del proyecto de Agua del estado. el distrito compra agua tratada del
distrito metropolitano de Agua de la planta de tratamiento r.A. skinner del sur de
California (planta skinner), planta de tratamiento de Agua de de la Autoridad de Agua
del Condado twin oaks Valley (planta twin oaks), y de la planta de tratamiento de
Agua r.m. Levy del distrito de Agua de helix (planta helix).
unA pLátiCA direCtA sobre AGuA
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 sí. sistemas públicos de Agua, tales como los que operan el distrito de Agua de otay,
deben cumplir con estándares para agua potable muy altos impuestos por la Agencia de
protección Ambiental de estados unidos o epA, por sus siglas en inglés.
el agua de la llave es regulada más rigurosamente 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 mil veces más que el agua de la
llave. Además, existen otras opciones más económicas que comprar agua embotellada.
otras opciones incluyen sistemas de filtración para la casa que son convenientes,
mejoran el sabor, y solo cuestan una fracción del precio del agua embotellada. Los
consumidores que deciden comprar una unidad de tratamiento de agua para sus 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 cambiar el filtro
de una manera regular.
Mahalaga ang impormasyong ito. Mangyaring ipasalin ito
eVALuACiónes de fuentes de AGuA
Las fuentes de agua suministradas por el distrito de
Agua de otay incluyen el río Colorado, el proyecto
de Agua del estado, y los suministros locales. Las
agencias que abastecen con agua potable al distrito
de Agua de otay, incluyendo el distrito metropolitano
de Agua del sur de California, la Autoridad de Agua
del Condado de san diego y el distrito de Agua de
helix, se les requiere llevar a cabo evaluaciones de sus
fuentes de agua no potable. si desea obtener copias
de las evaluaciones del agua, favor de comunicarse
con el sr. Gary stalker, Gerente de sistemas de
operación, al (619) 670-2228. riesgo de infección por
causa de Cryptosporidium u otros microorganismos
contaminantes están disponibles en la Línea directa
de Agua potable 1-800-426-4791.
este informe contiene información muy importante
sobre su agua potable. tradúzcalo o hable con alguien
que lo entienda bien.
ConserVAtion - it’s eAsY!
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, ensure adequate water supplies now and for future generations, and
to save you money, 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.
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
Jose Lopez, President .........................................Division 4
Mitch Thompson, Vice President ................................Division 2
David Gonzalez, Treasurer ......................................Division 1
Gary Croucher, Director ....................................... Division 3
Mark Robak, Director .........................................Division 5
AdditionAL informAtion
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/certlic/drinkingwater/pages/
default.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
http://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
www.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
www.otaywater.gov
2013Consumer Confidence Report