2009 CONSUMER .
CONFIDENCE +
REPORT ..
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UNIT DESCRIPTIONS IS MY WATER SAFE? Last year, as in years past, your tap water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
ug/L:Parts per billion water met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants
mg/L:Number of milligrams of substance in state drinking water health standards. The South Tahoe Public does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.
one liter of water Utility District vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and, once More information about contaminants and potential health
ppm:Parts per million,or milligrams per liter again, we are proud to report that our system has not violated a effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection
Img/LI maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard. Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
ppb:Parrs per billion,or micrograms per liter DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS? Some The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water)
INg/LI people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and
ppt:Parts per trillion,or nanograms per liter water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through
ppq:Parts per quadrillion,or picograms per such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in
lit
pCi/L:Picocuries per liter(a measure of who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances
radioactivity) or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
mrem/yr:Millirems per year(a measure of be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, may
radiation absorbed by the body) advice about drinking water from their health care providers. come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural
MFL:Million Fibers per Liter,used to measure EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate livestock operations, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants, such
asbestos concentration means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and
NTU:Nephelometric Turbidity Units.Turbidly other microbial contaminants are available from the USEPA's as salts and metals, can be naturally occurring or result from
is a measure of the cloudiness of the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (1-800-426-4791). urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater
water.We monitor it because it is a discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
good indicator of the effectiveness of WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM?The District's Pesticides and herbicides, may come from a variety of sources
our filtration system. service area is organized into 16 pressure zones serving over such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential
positive samples/month:The number of 2.4 billion gallons annually from 14 active drinking water wells uses. Organic Chemical Contaminants, includingsynthetic and
samples taken monthly that were found to over 14,000 homes and businesses. All our drinkingwater is g y
to be positive volatile organic chemicals, are by-products of industrial
pumped from underground aquifers. No water is taken from
positive samples/yr:The number of positive processes and petroleum production, and can also come from
samples taken that year Lake Tahoe or any other surface water source. gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural application
%positive samples/month: Percentage of SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT AND ITS AVAILABILITY and septic systems. Radioactive contaminants, can be naturally
samples taken monthly that were The District has an ongoing drinking water source development occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining
positive
killed or inactivated:Percentage of program to seek additional drinking water well locations. Due to activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the
% viruses/bacteria killed or inactivated by the volume of the average annual Sierra snowpack and Lake United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the
treatment method Tahoe itself, our aquifer has a significant recharge capability. California Department of Public Health (DPH) prescribe
CFU/ml:Colony Forming Units per milliliter The District continues to work diligently to protect and maintain regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water
NA:Not Applicable this precious natural resource. provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration
ND: Not Detected WHY ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN MY (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled
NR: Not Required, but recommended DRINKING WATER? Drinking water, including bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
CONTAMINANTS MCLG/PHG MCL OR AVG RANGE SAMPLE VIOLATION TYPICAL SOURCE
WATER QUALITY DATA TABLE OR MRDLG MRDL LOW HIGH DATE
OR NL
The table to the right lists all of the INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
drinking water contaminants that Arsenic Ippb) 0.004 10 3.00 ND 8.02 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff
we detected that are applicable for from orchards; Runoff from glass and
the calendar year of this report. electronics production wastes
The presence of contaminants in the Barium(ppb) 2,000 1,000 ND ND NO 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
water does not necessarily indicate Chromium(ppb) 50 ND ND ND 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
that the water poses a health risk. Fluoride(ppm) 1 2 0.09 ND 0.15 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits;Water
Unless otherwise noted, the data additive which promotes strong teeth;
presented in this table is from Discharge from fertilizer and
testing done in the calendar year aluminum factories
of the report. The EPA or the Nitrate[measured as Nitrogen](ppm) 10 10 0.27 0.03 0.93 2009 No Runoff from fertilizer use;Leaching
State requires us to monitor for from septic tanks,sewage;Erosion of
natural deposits
certain contaminants less than once
per year because the concentrations Sodium(optional)(ppb) NA MPL 1 1.3 4.13 25.0 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching
of these contaminants do not RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS
change frequently. Gross Alpha(pCi/L), minus Uranium 15 2.47 0.12 5.91 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
Uranium(pCi/L) 0.5 20 4.33 0.70 12.9 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
Radium-226(pCi/L) 0.05 0.40 0.22 0.70 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
Radium-228(pCi/L) 0.019 1.70 1.34 1.94 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
Radium-226+Radium-228 5 2.10 1.69 2.42 2009 No Erosion of natural deposits
VOLATILE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
MTBE[Methyl Tert Butyl Ether](ppb) 5 13 .01 ND 0.2 2009 No Leaking underground fuel storage tanks
TTHMs[Total Trihalomethanes](ppb) NA 80 2.3 ND 9.6 2009 No Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
HaloAcetic Acids NA 60 0.1 ND 1.3 2009 No Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS
Total Coliforms(%Positive each month) 5 0 0 0 2009 No
E.Coli(%Positive) 0 0 0 0 2009 No
Heterotrophic Plate Count or HPC(CFU) 1.3 ND ND 47 2009 No
Turbidity)NTU)The Turbidity limit for the highest
single measurement. 5 0.51 0.02 2.76 2009 Soil runoff
MCLG/PHG AL 90TH SAMPLE #SAMPLES EXCEEDS TYPICAL SOURCE
INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS PERCENTILE DATE EXCEEDING AL AL
ADDITIONAL CONTAMINANTS Lead-action level at consumer taps(ppb) ND 15 ND 2008 0 No Corosion of household plumbing systems;
In an effort to insure the safest water Erosion of natural deposits
possible the State has required us Copper-action level at consumer taps(ppb) ND 1,300 110 2008 0 No Internal corrosian of household plumbing
to monitor some contaminants not systems;erosion of natural deposits;
required by Federal regulations. leaching from wood preservatives
Of those contaminants only the ones CONTAMINANT STATE MCL AVG VIOLATION SAMPLE EXPLANATION AND COMMENT
listed to the right were found in DATE
your water. Alkalinity,Total(ppm) NA 51.8 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Bromide(ppm) NA 0.013 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Calcium(ppm) NA 12.0 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Carbon Dioxide, Free(ppm) NA 5.8 mg/L No 2009 Naturally occuring
Chloride(ppm) 500 8.5 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Chlorine,Free(ppm) 4 mg/L 0.49 mg/L No 2009 Byproduct of disinfection process
Color(Units) 15 ND No 2009 Naturally occurring organic materials
Copper(ppm) NA 12 No 2009
Dissolved Solids,Total(ppm) 1,000 mg/L 91 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Electrical Conductance(umhos/cm) 1,600 138 No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Hardness(ppm) NA 41.4 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Iron(ppb) 300 38.0 ug/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Magnesium(ppm) NA 2.46 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Odor-Threshold(Units) 3 ND No 2009 Naturally occurring organic materials
Organic Carbon,Total(ppm) NA 0.25 mg/L No 2009
ortho-Phosphate,as P(ppm) NA 0.035 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Phosphorus,Total(ppm) NA 0.040 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
pH NA 8.02 Units No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Potassium(ppm) NA 1.26 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Radon pCi/L) NA 1,000 pCi/L No 2009
Sulfate(ppm) 500 3.17 mg/L No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Temperature-System(°F) NA 50° No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Vanadium)ppb) NA ND No 2009 Erosion of natural deposits
Zinc(ppb) 5,000 15.6 No 2009
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IMPORTANT DRINKING WATER HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?The information contained in are simple ways to fix a radon problem that aren't too costly.
DEFINITIONS the Consumer Confidence Report may not answer all the For additional information, call your state radon program or call
MCLG:Maximum Contaminant emel Goal: questions you mayhave about the quality of the South Tahoe EPA's Radon Hotline 80O-SO5-RADON
The level of a aantaminant in drinking
q �'
✓.der below which there is no known Public Utility District's drinking water supply. The District RESULTS OF VOLUNTARY MONITORING See data sheets.
areo rted rdctohedth.MCLGs welcomes public participation in developing water quality and
d ay for a margin of safes.
MCL Mci Jmum Contaminant Lapel:The quantity policy. For more information, please call the District REGARDING ARSENIC Arsenic is a naturally occurring
h hey le i of a con rnvnant thor is Information Office at 530-544-6474 extension 6208. If you substance that is sometimes found at very law levels in drinking
Brewed ndrinklrg wale..NELsare set would like more detailed scientific information, please call the water, primarily groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection
as{lose iD the MCA 4 as feasible District Laboratoryat 530-544-6474 extension 6231, or check
uslrg the�a,�alloble h�atrrr�rrl Agency (EPA) was required by the Safe Drinking Water Act
technobgyt ourwebsfte at www.stpud.us Amendments of 1996 to finalize a new drinking water standard
PDWS: Primary Drinking Water Standards for arsenic in 2001 based on cool scientific information and data.
MCLs far contaminants ihol af6xt heakh The District is governed by an elected five-member Board of g
icnc rwlhthel and Directors. Board meetings are held on the first and third In September 2001, EPA adopted a new arsenic standard, or
tippiure-minis,arid wale.
teat req Irerrenis. Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m, at the Customer Service maximum contaminant level (MCL), of 0.010 milligrams per liter
AL Action Level:The ccncentrahcn of a Facility located at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive. All meetings are or 10 parts per billion (PPB). This new standard went into effect
contaminarn....kith, if e<ceeded, open to the public and the District encourages our customers to on January 23, 2006, Water utilities were not immediately
tiggers treatment cc other requirements attend and become involved i n the policy making process.
which a water system must follow. po is declared out of compliance or in violation of the new standard.
PHG: Primary Health Goal: The larval of RESULTS OF RADON MONITORING Radon is a The federal regulation requires that water systems monitor for
contaminant r,drinking wa►er belowarsenic duringthefirst 1-3years to determine their official
belay which there Ls re kncr, n or radioactive gas that you can't see, taste or smell. It is found
ceded risktoheath. PHGs are sei throughout the U.S. Radon can move up through the ground compliance levels.The District completed that monitoring in 2008.
by.tore California Err,tronmentol
Protedlcn Agency. and into a home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Since the California Department of Public Health (DPH) remains
MRDLG:Maximum Residual L sinfection Radon can build up to high levels in all types of homes. Radon at the prior MCL of 50 PPB, the federal standard of 10 PPB is in
Level Coal:The bid of a drnking can also get into indoor air when released from tap water from effect inCalifornia. DPH is helping EPA to implement the federal
wrier v riecrantcelDwwhich there�s showering, washingdishes, and other household activities. p g p
no known cc eo cited nsk to health. gr standard, but EPA is in charge of enforcing it. When California
PRIaGsdoref railed the['emit of Compared to radon entering the home through soil, radon finalises its standard, DPH will resume enforcement duties as well.
mkroblol conlonlnanls. home throughtap
# use niaalarls control enteringthe th h water will, in most cases, be a
MRDL:Maramum Reisiduol DianfeEtant Lewd: small source of radon in indoor air. Radon is a known human Of the District's fourteen active drinking water wells, two
The highest kivel of a dlsirfea:nt carcinogen. Breathing air containing radon can lead to lung exceeded the new standard. Of those two wells, one has been
ccn convincing
drinking
I addl onscf a cancer. Drinking water containing radon may also cause disconnected from the water distribution system, but could be
clisinf2ctant is necesaaryfor control of increased risk of stomach cancer. If you are concerned about placed into service in the event of an emergency, such as
mlcrcblilcornrn Imnks. radon in your home, test the air in your home. Testing is wildfire. On the remaining well, a DPH-approved treatment
MR.: Not Regulated inexpensive and easy, Fix your home if the level of radon in facility has been operational since October 2009_ The District is
MPL:Maximum Permissible Level as your air is 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) or higher. There in full compliance with both state and federal standards,
determined by the slate of California