Loading...
2014 South Tahoe Public Utility District CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT 2014 , Ili AN. :;w -, *er. 19H0 •'Na Zic r IS MY WATER SAFE? Last year, as in years past, currently updating the Groundwater production, mining, or farming. Pesticides and RESULTS OF RADON MONITORING Radon is a your tap water met all U.S. Environmental Management Plan in 2015. You may view the herbicides, may come from a variety of sources radioactive gas that you can't see, taste or Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking document by visiting the District's website at such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, smell. It is found throughout the U.S. Radon can water health standards. The South Tahoe Public www.stpud.us orrequesting a copybyand residential uses. Organic Chemical Pby 9 9 move up through the ground and into a home Utility District vigilantly safeguards its water calling Customer Service at 530-544-6474. Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile through cracks and holes in the foundation. supplies and, once again,we are proud to The District has an ongoing drinking water organic chemicals, are by-products of industrial report that our system has not violated a source development program that seeks potential processes and petroleum production, and can Radon can build up to high levels in all types of maximum contaminant level or any other water drinking water well locations. Due to the volume also come from gas stations, urban stormwater homes. Radon can also get into indoor air when quality standard. of the average annual Sierra snowpack and runoff, agricultural application and septic released from tap water from showering, Lake Tahoe itself, our aquifer has a significant systems. Radioactive contaminants, can be washing dishes, and other household activities. DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS? qnaturally occurring or be the result of oil and Compared to radon enteringthe home through Some people maybe more vulnerable to recharge capability.The District continues to P g P P gas production and mining activities. In order to soil, radon enteringthe home through tapwater contaminants in drinking water than the general work diligently to protect and maintain this ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the United g population. Immuno-compromised persons such precious natural resource. States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA) will, in most cases, be a small source of radon as persons with cancer undergoing WHY ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN MY and the California Department of Public Health in indoor air. Radon is a known human chemotherapy, persons who have undergone DRINKING WATER? Drinking water, including (DPH) prescribe regulations that limit the amount carcinogen. Breathing air containing radon can organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or bottled water, may reasonably be expected to of certain contaminants in water provided by lead to lung cancer. Drinking water containing other immune system disorders, some elderly, contain at least small amounts of some public water systems. Food and Drug radon may also cause increased risk of stomach and infants can be particularly at risk from contaminants. The presence of contaminants Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits cancer. If you are concerned about radon in infections. These people should seek advice does not necessarily indicate that water poses a for contaminants in bottled water which must your home,test the air in your home. Testing is about drinking water from their health care health risk. More information about provide the same protection for public health. inexpensive and easy. Fix your home if the level providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control contaminants and potential health effects can be HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?The information of radon in your air is 4 picocuries per liter of (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to obtained by calling the Environmental Protection contained in the Consumer Confidence Report air(pCi/L) or higher.There are simple ways to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline maynot answer all thequestionsyou mayhave and other microbial contaminants are available (1-800-426-4791).The sources of drinking fix a radon problem that aren't too costly. For from the USEPA's Safe Water DrinkingHotline ( ) about the quality waterof the South Tahoe Public Utility additional information, call your state radon water(both tap water and bottled water) include District's drinking supply. The District (1-800-426-4791). rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, program or call EPA's Radon Hotline welcomes public participation in developing WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM?There and wells. As water travels over the surface of water quality and quantity policy. If you would (800-SOS-RADON). are 12 active drinking water wells to nearly the land or through the ground, it dissolves like more detailed scientific information, please RESULTS OF VOLUNTARY MONITORING 14,000 homes and businesses.All our drinkingnaturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, call the District Laboratory at 530-544-6474 radioactive material, and canpick upSee data sheets. water is pumped from underground aquifers. extension 6231, or check our website at substances resulting from the presence of www.stpud.us. REGARDING ARSENIC Arsenic is a No water is taken from Lake Tahoe or any other P naturally animals or from human activity. Microbial The District isgoverned byan elected five- surface water source. occurring substance that is sometimes found at contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, may member Board of Directors. Board meetings are very low levels in drinking water, primarily SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT AND come from sewage treatment plants, septic held on the first and third Thursday of each groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection PROTECTION The District's Groundwater systems, agricultural livestock operations, and month at 2 p.m. at the Customer Service Facility Management Plan (California Water Code wildlife. Inorganic contaminants, such as salts located at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive. All Agency(EPA)was required by the Safe Drinking Section 10750)was adopted on December 21, and metals, can be naturally occurring or result meetings are open to the public and the District Water Act Amendments of 1996 to finalize a 2000 and is on file with the California from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or encourages our customers to attend and become new drinking water standard for arsenic in 2001 Department of Public Health (CDPH).We are domestic wastewater discharges,oil and gas involved in the policy making process. based on good scientific information and data. SPANISH(ESPANOL)Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber.Traduscalo o hable con alguien que to entienda bien. WATER QUALITY DATA TABLE The table below lists presented in this table is from testing done in the ADDITIONAL CONTAMINANTS In an effort to insure IMPORTANT DRINKING WATER all of the drinking water contaminants that we calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State the safest water possible, the State has required us to DEFINITIONS detected that are applicable for the calendar year of requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less monitor some contaminants not required by Federal MCLG Maximum Contaminant this report.The presence of contaminants in the water than once per year because the concentrations of regulations. Of those contaminants only the ones Level Goal:The level of a does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a these contaminants do not change frequently. listed on the last page under"Additional contaminant in drinking water health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data Contaminants"were found in your water. below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of CONTAMINANTS MCLG/PHG MCL OR MRDL AVERAGE MIN MAX SAMPLE VIOLATION TYPICAL SOURCE safety. OR MRDLG OR NL DATE MCL Maximum Contaminant INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS Level:The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in Arsenic(ppb) 0.004 10 3.0 ND 7.3 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits;Runoff drinking water. MCLs are set as from orchards;Runoff from glass and close to the MCLGs as feasible electronics production wastes using the best available Fluoride(ppm) 1 2 0.09 ND 0.15 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits;Water treatment technology. additive which promotes strong teeth; PDWS Primary Drinking Water Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum Standards: MCLs for factories contaminants that affect health Nitrate[measured as Nitrogen] (ppm) 10 10 0.23 0.06 0.63 2014 No Runoff from fertilizer use;Leaching from along with their monitoring and septic tanks,sewage;Erosion of natural reporting requirements, and deposits water treatment requirements. A Act Le Sodium(ppm) NA MPL 12 4.8 30 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits;Leaching concentration on ofel: The of a contaminant RADIONUCLIIDES which, if exceeded,triggers treatment or other requirements Gross Alpha(pCi/L),minus Uranium 15 3.40 0.34 11.2 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits which a water system must follow. Uranium(pCi/L) 0.43 20 4.57 0.71 10.2 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits PHG Primary Health Goal: The Radium-226(pCi/L) 0.05 0.44 0.06 1.06 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits level of contaminant in drinking Radium-228(pCi/L) 0.019 0.82 0.10 1.39 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits w noor w below which there is knownto or expected risk Radium-226+Radium-228 5 1.26 0.23 2.45 2014 No Erosion of natural deposits health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental VOLATILE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS Protection Agency. MTBE[Methyl Tert Butyl Ether](ppb) 5 13 ND ND 0.6 2014 No Leaking underground fuel storage tanks MRDLG Maximum Residual Disinfection Level Goal:The Total Trihalomethanes(ppb) NA 80 3.5 ND 22 2014 No By-product of drinking water disinfection level of a drinking water de HaloAcetic Acids(ppb) NA 60 0.6 ND 3.2 2014 No By-product of drinking water disinfection is nofectant below ewcted riskthe to known or expected risk to MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of Total Coliforms(%Positive each month) 5 0 0 0 2014 No Naturally present in environment disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. E.Coli(%Positive) 0 0 0 0 2014 No Human and animal fecal matter MRDL Maximum Residual Heterotrophic Plate Count or HPC(CFU) NA 0.3 ND 5 2014 No NA Disinfectant Level:The highest Turbidity(NTU)The Turbidity limit for the 5 0.16 0.04 0.4 2014 No Soil runoff levelndrinking of a disinfectanttr. There allowed highest single measurement. in water. is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS MCLG/PHG AL 90TH SAMPLE #SAMPLES EXCEEDS TYPICAL SOURCE necessary for control of PERCENTILE DATE EXCEEDING AL AL microbial contaminants. Lead-action level at consumer taps(ppb) ND 15 ND 2014 0 No Corosion of household plumbing systems; MNR Monitored Not Erosion of natural deposits Regulated Copper-action level at consumer taps(ppb) ND 1,300 71 2014 0 No Internal corrosion of household plumbing MPL Maximum Permissible systems;erosion of natural deposits; Level:As determined by the leaching from wood preservatives state of California ADDITIONAL CONTAMINANTS UNITS STATE MCL AVERAGE VIOLATION SAMPLE DATE EXPLANATION AND COMMENT UNIT DESCRIPTIONS pg/L:Micrograms per Liter, or Alkalinity,Total ppm NA 52 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits parts per billion Aluminum ppb 1,000 21 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits mg/L:Milligrams per liter or parts per million Barium ppb 2,000 11 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits ppm: Parts per million, or milligrams per Liter (mg/L) Bromide ppm NA 0.01 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits ppb: Parts per billion, or Calcium ppm NA 12.5 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits micrograms per Liter(pg/L) ppt: Parts per trillion, or Carbon Dioxide,Free ppm NA 11.2 No 2014 Naturally occuring nanograms per Liter ppq: Parts per quadrillion, or Chloride ppm 500 9.4 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits picograms per Liter Chlorine,Free ppm 4 0.64 No 2014 By-product of disinfection process pCi/L: Picocuries per Liter(a measure of radioactivity) Chromium 6 ppb NA 0.42 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits MFL:Million Fibers per Liter, used to measure asbestos Color Units 15 5 No 2014 Naturally occurring organic materials concentration Copper ppb NA 4 No 2014 Old plumbing/erosian of natural deposits NTU: N. Turbidity is Turbidity Units. Turbidity is a measure Dissolved Solids,Total ppm 1,000 94 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good Electrical Conductance pS/cm 1,600 137 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits indicator of the effectiveness Hardness ppm NA 42.5 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits of our filtration system. positive samples/month: Iron ppb 300 26 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits The number of samples taken monthly that were Lead ppb NA 0.8 No 2014 Old plumbing/erosian of natural deposits found to be positive positive samples/yr:The Magnesium ppm NA 2.6 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits number of positive samples taken that year Manganese ppb 50 2 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits %positive samples/ Odor-Threshold Units 3 ND No 2014 Naturally occurring organic materials month: Percentage of samples taken monthly that Organic Carbon,Total ppm NA 0.40 No 2012 Naturally occurring organic materials were positive CFU/ml:Colony Forming Units ortho-Phosphate,as P ppm NA 0.04 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits per milliliter Phosphorus,Total ppm NA 0.04 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits NA: Not Applicable ND: Not Detected pH Units NA 7.8 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits NR: Not Required, but recommended Potassium ppm NA 1.5 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits Radon pCi/L NA 420 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits Silica ppm NA 27 No 2011 Erosion of natural deposits Sulfate ppm 500 3.4 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits Temperature-System °F NA 50.8 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits Vanadium ppb NA 3.6 No 2014 Erosion of natural deposits Zinc ppb 5,000 20 No 2014 Runoff/leaching from natural deposits ADDITIONAL MONITORING As part of an on-going evaluation CONTAMINANTS/CHEMICALS UNITS AVERAGE MINIMUM MAXIMUM SAMPLE DATE program called UCMR3 (unregulated contaminant monitoring rule 3), the EPA has required us to monitor some additional Chlorate ppm 0.085 ND 0.280 8/2014 contaminants/chemicals. Information collected through the monitoring Chromium,Total ppb 0.45 ND 1.10 8/2014 of these contaminants/chemicals will ensure that future decisions on drinking water standards are based on sound science. Chromium-6 ppb 0.43 0.12 1.10 8/2014 The US EPA uses the UCMR to collect data for contaminants Cobalt ppb ND ND ND 8/2014 suspected to be present in drinking water to help determine if drinking water standards need to be developed in the future. The Molybdenum ppb 14 ND 72 8/2014 South Tahoe Public Utility District(STPUD) is required to monitor 28 chemical contaminants and completed one round of sample Strontium ppb 124 14 330 8/2014 collection in August of 2014; it will sample again in February 2015. In the absence of identifiable industrial sources other than chlorate, Vanadium ppb 3.5 ND 8.6 8/2014 these contaminants are naturally occurring in our watersheds. Chlorate is a degradation product of the disinfectant used by STPUD for water disinfection and is a common contaminant found in water treatment facilities throughout the nation.