HomeMy WebLinkAboutTruckee Main System 2019 CCRTruckee Donner Public Utility District
2019 WATER QUALITY REPORT
In This Document
Water Quality General
Information
Source Water Assessment
Where Our Water Comes From
Lead In Home Plumbing
Radon
Definitions
Sampling Results
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable. Tradúzcalo o hable
con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Customer Views Are Welcome
T he Truckee Donner Public Utility District encourages community par-
ticipation in the public process. If you are interested in participating in
the TDPUD’s decision-making process , you are welcome to attend Board
Meetings.
The Board of Directors meets at 6:00 PM on the first and third Wednesday
of each month in the TDPUD Board room, located at 11570 Donner Pass
Road, Truckee, California. Agendas for upcoming meetings may be
obtained on our website or from the Deputy District Clerk ’s office,
(530)582-3980.
For More Information:
About this report or the water treatment process, contact Truckee
Donner Public Utility District’s Senior Water Quality Technician, Clay
Walker at (530)582-3926.
About water conservation and efficiency, the TDPUD has water
conservation programs that will help customers save water and save
money. Information can be found on our website or by calling (530)
587-3896.
Truckee Main System PWS# 2910003
For more information
about us, please visit our
website at
www.tdpud.org .
Water Quality
T ruckee Donner Public Utility District is able to report that it has met all State
and Federal drinking water standards. The data in this brochure is a
snapshot of the quality of water provided to TDPUD customers for the 2019
calendar year. This report includes details about your local water resources, water
quality monitoring data, and how it compares to State and USEPA standards.
Truckee Donner Public Utility District is committed to providing you with
information about your water supply because customers who are well informed
are key to the collaborative process in identifying improvements that are neces-
sary to maintain the highest drinking water standards.
It is important to note, that while the TDPUD strives to meet all State and Federal
drinking water standards, some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants
in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such
as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, people who have undergone
organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some
elderly individuals, 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 microbiological con-
taminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)426-4791 or
https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-hotline.
Lead in Residential Plumbing
I f present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially
for pregnant women and young children. In circumstances where lead is de-
tected in drinking water, it is primarily derived from materials and components
associated with service lines and residential plumbing. TDPUD is responsible for
providing high quality water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in
plumbing components within private property. If your water has been sitting for a
prolonged period of time, 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.
We conduct routine sampling for lead every three years. The last sampling was
performed in 2019, where all sites tested below the Federal action level for lead.
The next round of lead sampling is scheduled for the summer of 2022. More
information about lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take
to minimize exposure can be found at www.epa.gov /lead.
Where Our Water Comes From
D rinking water served to Truckee Donner Public Utility District customers in
the Truckee system is groundwater that comes from 10 deep wells.
Each week, the system is sampled for microbial quality. Because of natural
filtration, the groundwater aquifer is protected from surface water contamination,
giving us a high quality of drinking water.
Cryptosporidium and Giardia
R ecognizing that our potable water sources are exclusively deep groundwater
wells, the presence of microscopic organisms such as Cryptosporidium and
Giardia in our water is highly unlikely. If ingested, Cryptosporidium and Giardia
can cause diarrhea, fever, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Source Water
Assessment
A source water assessment was
prepared in 2002 for the wells
serving the Truckee area. The wells
are considered most vulnerable to
the following activities not associated
with any detected contaminants:
septic systems, drinking water
treatment plants, and transportation
corridors. A copy of the complete
assessment may be viewed at the
Truckee Donner Public Utility District
office, located at 11570 Donner Pass
Road, Truckee, California, or by
calling Brian Wright at
(530)582-3957.
Water Hardness
O ccasionally, a water user will
need to adjust an appliance,
such as a dishwasher or water
softener, to a particular setting
based upon the hardness of the
water served to their home or
business.
Please use the information provided
below to help with water hardness
questions.
Arsenic
W hile your drinking water meets the current
Federal and State standards for arsenic, it is
present at low levels. The drinking water standard
balances the current understanding of ar-
senic's possible health effects against the costs of
removing arsenic from drinking water. The USEPA
continues to research the health effects of low
levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to
cause cancer in humans with prolonged exposures
at elevated concentrations and has potential links to
other health effects such as skin damage and circu-
latory problems.
Water Source Blending: The TDPUD operates
the Glenshire Drive Well, Prosser Village Well and
Old Greenwood Well under a SWRCB approved
blending permit. The blending permit ensures lower
detectable concentrations of arsenic in drinking wa-
ter prior to being conveyed into the distribution sys-
tem. The arsenic monitoring sample results from
the blending point ranged from a low of 4.8 ppb
to a high of 7.6 ppb with an average of 6.2 ppb.
The MCL for arsenic is 10 ppb.
Radon
R adon is a radioactive gas that you cannot
see, taste, or smell. It is found throughout
the United States. Radon can move up through
the ground and into a home through cracks and
holes in structural foundations. Radon can accu-
mulate in all types of homes. Radon can also get
into indoor air when released from tap water from
showering, washing dishes, and other household
activities. Compared to radon entering the home
through ground sources, radon exposure through
water sources are typically far less common and
much smaller in magnitude. Radon is a known
human carcinogen. Exposure to air containing ra-
don has been known to lead to lung cancer. Drink-
ing water containing radon may also cause in-
creased risk of stomach cancer. If you are con-
cerned about radon levels in your home, testing is
recommended. Testing can be relatively inexpen-
sive and easy. Radon mitigation and removal
for your home is recommended for detectable con-
centrations in excess of 4 picocuries per liter of air
(pCi/L). There are often simple ways to fix a ra-
don problem that are not too costly. For additional
information, call your State radon program (1-800-
745-7236), the USEPA Safe Drinking Water Hot-
line (1-800-426-4791), or the National Safety
Council Radon Hotline (1-800-SOS-RADON).
Degree of Hardness Grains per Gallon (gpg) ppm (or mg/L)
Soft < 1.0 < 17.0
Slightly Hard 1.0 - 3.5 17.1 - 60
Moderately Hard 3.5 - 7.0 60 - 120
Hard 7.0 - 10.5 120 - 180
Very Hard > 10.5 > 180
Water Softener / Appliance Setting
In 2019 testing, TDPUD had an average hardness
result of 63.8 mg/L. That translates to an average
of 3.7 grains per gallon. One grain per gallon
equals 17.1 mg/L.
Substances That Could Be In Water
T he sources of drinking water (both tap
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.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to
drink, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) and the State Water
Resources Control Board (State Board)
prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water
provided by public water systems. State Board regulations also establish limits
for contaminants in bottled water that 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.
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 can 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, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum
production, and which can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater
runoff, agricultural applications, and septic systems;
Radioactive Contaminants, that can be naturally occurring or can be the
result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be
obtained by calling the USEPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-
4791.
Definitions
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 (USEPA).
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 convincing 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.
Primary Drinking Water Standards (PDWS): MCLs
and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health along with
their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water
treatment requirements.
Secondary Drinking Water Standards (SDWS): MCLs
for contaminants that affect taste, odor, or appearance of
the drinking water. Contaminants with SDWSs do not
affect the health at the MCL levels.
Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a
contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or
other requirements that a water system must follow.
Table Key
N/A: not applicable
N/D: not detectable at testing limit
ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter (µg/l)
ppt: parts per trillion or nanograms per liter (ng/L)
pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radiation)
(μS/cm): micro Siemens per centimeter
(NTU): nephelometric turbidity unit (measures water cloudiness)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Why does my water smell and taste like chlorine?
A. Chlorine is regularly injected into the water at the source as a disinfectant that aids in eliminating potentially
harmful bacteria present in water. In high demand summer month’s chlorine taste may be more noticeable because
the water is "fresh" or "newer" and has not had time to dissipate through the system. Chlorine can also gas off in
warm/hot water which produces a smell stronger than normal. Some people are more sensitive than others to the
taste and smell of chlorine and may become aware of occasional changes. This is normal and safe. Chlorine levels are
continually monitored.
Q. Why does my water taste like metal?
A. The source water is ground water, which has a mineral content that might give off a metal taste some are not
used too. Sometimes plumbing can cause a metal taste, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for several hours.
It’s best to flush the lines for of couple minutes if water has sat in pipes for an extending period of time, however, this
does not indicate a higher or lower degree of water quality.
Q. Why is there white crust on my shower head?
A. The minerals in water may leave white spots on glasses, coffeepots, shower heads and shower doors. These spots
are calcium deposits and are not harmful to health.
Q. Why is there a black ring around my toilet?
A. This black ring some may find after returning home when water has sat in the bowl for extending period of time is
mold. Mold will grow in dark, wet, cool places making the toilet bowl a perfect place for that. If this accrues adding
bleach to the bowl and letting it sit works best. To avoid this, leave a small amount of bleach in the bowl before leaving
for more than a couple days.
Q. What clauses cloudy water?
A. Cloudy or milky water is usually caused by trapped air picked up from an air pocket in the water main or internal
plumbing. Sometimes flows or water cascading within the aqueduct can also trap air, similar to a waterfall. If water sits
in a glass or pitcher for a few minutes the air will dissipate and become clear.
The data in the following tables is from the most recent monitoring done in compliance with Federal and California drink-
ing water regulations. Some data may be more than one year old. Based upon Federal and State requirements, the moni-
toring interval for each constituent varies, and can be any one of the following: weekly, monthly, semi-annually, annually,
biennially, or once every three, six, or nine years, or as deemed necessary by regulatory agencies.
TABLE 1 – SAMPLING RESULTS SHOWING THE DETECTION OF COLIFORM BACTERIA
Microbiological Contami-
nants
Highest No.
of Detec-
tions
No. of months in viola-
tion MCL MCLG Typical Source of Bacteria
Total Coliform Bacteria 0 0
More than 5% of sam-
ples in a month with a
detection
0 Naturally present in the environment
TABLE 2 – DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS
Contaminant # Samples,
Frequency
Average
Level Range MCL (MDRL) MCLG
(MDRLG) Typical Source of Contaminant
Chlorine Residual (ppm) 40-50 per
month 0.38 .35-.42 4 4 Drinking water disinfectant added
for treatment
Total Trihalomethanes (ppb) 2 on 8/12/19 4.3 3.2-5.4 80 N/A By-product of drinking water disin-
fection
TABLE 3 – DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM CUSTOMER TAP SAMPLING FOR LEAD AND COPPER
Lead and Copper Date Last
Sampled
No. of sam-
ples col-
lected
90th
percentile
level detect-
ed
No. sites
exceeding
AL
AL PHG Typical Source of Contaminant
Lead (ppb) August
2019 30 3.0 0 15 0.2 Typical Source of Contaminant
Copper (ppm) August
2019 30 0.078 0 1.3 0.3
Internal corrosion of household
plumbing systems; erosion of natural
deposits; leaching from
wood preservatives
TABLE 4- LEAD SAMPLING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
Contaminate Date sam-
pled
No. of
Schools
Requesting
Lead Sam-
pling
Range
No. sites
exceeding
AL
AL PHG Typical Source of Contaminant
Lead (ppb) Dec-18 8 < 0.2 0 15.0 0.2
Internal corrosion of household
plumbing systems; erosion of natural
deposits; leaching from
wood preservatives
TABLE 5 – DETECTION OF CONTAMINANTS WITH A SECONDARY DRINKING WATER STANDARD
Chemical or Constituent
(reporting units)
Date Last
Sampled Level Detected Range of Detec-
tions MCL PHG
(MCLG) Typical Source of Contaminant
Chloride (ppm) 2019 9.5 N/D - 60 250 N/A Leaching of natural deposits
Odor-Threshold (TON) 2019 0.4 N/D - 2 3 N/A Naturally-occurring organic
materials
pH 2019 8.1 7.8 -8.4 6.5 - 8.5 6.5 - 8.5 Leaching of natural deposits
Specific Conductance
(μS/cm) 2019 192 110 - 380 1600 N/A Substances that form ions when in
water.
Sulfate (ppm) 2016 3.7 N/D - 18 250 N/A Leaching of natural deposits
Total Dissolved Solids
(ppm) 2019 130 110 - 230 500 N/A Leaching of natural deposits
TABLE 6- UNREGULATED COMPOUNDS
Chemical or Constituent
(reporting units)
Date Last
Sampled
Average Level
Detected
Range of Detec-
tions MCL PHG
(MCLG) Typical Source of Contaminant
Alkalinity (as CaCO3) (ppm) 2019 64 54 - 90 N/A N/A Naturally present in water
Bicarbonate Alkalinity (as
HCO3) (ppm) 2019 85 66 - 110 N/A N/A Naturally present in water
Calcium (ppm) 2019 13 10 - 30 N/A N/A Natually occuring
Magnesium (ppm) 2019 7.4 3 - 10 N/A N/A Leaching of natural deposits
Potassium (ppm) 2019 3.0 2 - 8.1 N/A N/A Leaching of natural deposits
TABLE 7 – DETECTION OF CONTAMINANTS WITH A PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARD
Chemical or Constituent
(reporting units)
Date Last
Sampled
Average Level
Detected
Range of Detec-
tions MCL PHG
(MCLG) Typical Source of Contaminant
Inorganic Contaminants
Arsenic (ppb) 2019 3.80 N/D - 9.5 10 0.004 Erosion of natural deposits
Barium (ppb) 2019 13.90 5.80 - 33 1000 2000 Erosion of natural deposits
Chromium, Total (ppb) 2019 0.20 N/D - 1.30 100 100 Erosion of natural deposits
Chromium, Hexavalent (ppb) 2017 0.70 0.10 - 1.20 0 0 Erosion of natural deposits
*Note The State of California does not have an MCL for Hexavalent Chromium (ppb). The previous
MCL of 0.0010 mg/l was withdrawn On September 11, 2017
Fluoride (ppm) 2019 0.01 N/D - 0.08 2 1 Erosion of natural deposits
Nitrate as N (ppm) 2019 0.20 N/D - 0.70 10 10
Runoff and leaching from fertilizer
use; leaching from septic tanks and
sewage; erosion of natural deposits
Turbidity (NTU) 2019 0.09 N/D - 0.17 5 5 Soil runoff
Radioactive Contaminants
Gross Alpha Particle
Activity (pCi/L) 2007-2018 0.7 N/D - 4.6 15 0 Erosion of natural deposits
*Note The State of California does not have an MCL for Radon. The EPA has an advisory MCL of 4000
pCi/L for Radon.
TABLE 8 – DETECTION OF CONTAMINANTS WITH A SECONDARY DRINKING WATER STANDARD
Chemical or Constituent
(reporting units)
Date Last
Sampled Level Detected Range of Detec-
tions MCL PHG
(MCLG) Typical Source of Contaminant
Chloride (ppm) 2019 9.0 N/D - 60 250 N/A Leaching of natural deposits
Odor-Threshold (TON) 2019 0.4 N/D - 2 3 N/A Naturally-occurring organic
materials
pH 2019 8.1 7.8 -8.4 6.5 - 8.5 6.5 - 8.5 Leaching of natural deposits
Specific Conductance
(μS/cm) 2019 182 110 - 380 1600 N/A Substances that form ions when in
water.
Sulfate (ppm) 2019 3.9 N/D - 17 250 N/A Leaching of natural deposits
Total Dissolved Solids
(ppm) 2019 122 110 - 230 500 N/A Leaching of natural deposits