2007 Consumer Confidence Report

 

Water System Name:

Lake Elizabeth Mutual Water Co.

Report Date:

03/2008

We test the drinking water quality for many constituents as required by State and Federal Regulations.  This report shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 - December 31, 2006.

 

Type of water source(s) in use: 

Surface Water ,California State Aqueduct Water  &  Well

Name & location of source(s): 

Willowsprings turnout, Munzs Ranch Road  &

Well #2 Ranch Club

 

Time and place of regularly scheduled board meetings for public participation:

Board meeting are

Held at 5:30p.m. at 14960 Elizabeth Lake Road, Elizabeth Lake, California once each month.

For more information, contact

Lake Elizabeth Water Co.

  Phone:

(661) 724-1806

 

TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT:

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.

Primary Drinking Water Standards (PDWS): MCLs 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.

ND: not detectable at testing limit 

ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter (ug/L)

ppt: parts per trillion or nanograms per liter (ng/L)

pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radiation)

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 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).

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL):  The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer’s tap.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MRDLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Treatment Technique (TT):  A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water

Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

Variances and Exemptions:  Department permission to exceed an MCL or not comply with a treatment technique under certain conditions.

 

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, which 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 byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.

·        Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, USEPA and the state Department of Health Services (Department) prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  Department regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health.

Tables 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 list all of the drinking water contaminants that were detected during the most recent sampling for the constituent.  The presence of these contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.  The Department requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year.  Some of the data, though representative of the water quality, are more than one year old.

 

Table 1 - sampling results showing the detection of coliform bacteria

Microbiological Contaminants

(to be completed only if there was a detection of bacteria )

Highest No. of detections

No. of months in violation

MCL

MCLG

Typical Source of Bacteria

Total Coliform Bacteria

(In a mo.)

0

0

More than 1 sample in a month with a detection

0

Naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present.

Fecal Coliform or
E. coli

(In the year)

0

0

A routine sample and a repeat sample detect total coliform and either sample also detects fecal coliform or E. coli

0

Fecal coliforms and e.coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with Human or animal wastes.

Table 2 - sampling results showing the detection of Lead and copper

Lead and Copper

(to be completed only if there was a detection of lead or copper in the last sample set)

No. of samples collected

90th percentile level detected

No. Sites exceeding AL

AL

MCLG

Typical Source of Contaminant

Lead (ppb)
next test 2009

0

0

0

15

2

Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; discharges from industrial manufacturers; erosion of natural deposits.

Copper (ppm)
next test 2009

0

0

0

1.3

0.17

Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.

TAble 3 - sampling results for sodium and hardness

Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

Range of Detections

MCL

PHG

(MCLG)

Typical Source of Contaminant

Sodium (ppm)

2007

62 Aqueduct,

 

none

none

Generally found in ground and surface water

Hardness (ppm)

2007

95 Aqueduct,

 

none

none

Generally found in ground and surface water

*Any violation of an MCL or AL is asterisked.  Additional information regarding the violation is provided on the next page.


 

TAble 4 - detection of contaminants with a Primary Drinking Water Standard

Regulated Inorganic Chemicals, State Water Project (Aqueduct)

Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

Range of Detections

MCL

PHG

(MCLG)

Typical Source of Contaminant

Antimony

11/2007

ND

 

0.006 mg/l

0.006 mg/l

  Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronmics; solder

Arsenic

11/2007

0.005 mg/L (b)

 

0.010 mg/l as of 1/06

 

  Erosion of natural deposits, orchard runoff, glass & electronics wastes

(b) Effective 1/23/2006, the federal arsenic MCL is 0.010 mg/L. A new state MCL has not yet been adopted and remains as 0.5 mg/L (or 50 ppb).
If the arsenic concentration is above 5 up to and including 10 ppb, refer to page 17 and 18 for the special educational statement to include in the CCR.

Barium

11/2007

0.0405 mg/L

 

2 mg/l

 

 

Erosion of natural deposits, discharge of drilling wastes; discharge metel refineries

Beryllium

11/2007 

  ND

 

0.004 mg/l

 

  Discharge from metal refineries and from electrical, aerospace and defense industries

Cadmium

11/2007

ND

 

0.005 mg/l

 

Corrosion of galvanized pipes; runoff from waste batteries and paints

  Erosion of natural deposits

Chromium (Total Cr)

11/2007

0.002 mg/L

 

0.1 mg/l

 

  Erosion of natural deposits, steel and pulp mill discharge, chrome plating

Copper

11/2007

ND

 

1.3 mg/l

 

    Erosion of natural deposits; Corrosion of household plumbing systems

Fluoride

11/2007

0.2 mg/L

 

4.0 mg/l

 

    Erosion of natural deposits, dental treatment, fertilizer & aluminum factrories

Lead

11/2007

0.0006 mg/L

 

0.015 mg/l

 

  Erosion of natural deposits, corrosion of home plumbling, industrial discharge

*Any violation of an MCL or AL is asterisked.  Additional information regarding the violation is provided on the next page.


 

TAble 4 - detection of contaminants with a Primary Drinking Water Standard

Regulated Inorganic Chemicals, State Water Project (Aqueduct)

Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

Range of Detections

MCL

PHG

(MCLG)

Typical Source of Contaminant

Mercury

11/2007

ND

 

0.002 mg/l

 

Corrosion of natural deposits; discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills and croplands

Nitrate (as NO3)

11/2007

4.6 mg/L

 

10.0 mg/l

10.0 mg/l

  Runoff from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, natural deposits

Nitraite (as N)

11/2007

ND

 

1.0 mg/l

1.0 mg/l  

   Runoff from fertilizer use, leaching from septic tanks, natural deposits

Perchlorate

11/2007

ND

 

0.006 mg/L

 

    Perchlorate is an inorganic chemical used in solid rocket propellant, fireworks, explosives, flares, matches. It usually gets into drinking water as a result of environmental contamination from historic aerospace or other industrial operation that used or use, store, or dispose of perchlorate and its salts

Selenium

11/2007

ND

 

0.05 mg/l

 

Erosion of natural deposits;discharge from mines; discharge from petroleum refineries

Thallium

11/2007 

  ND

 

0.002 mg/l

 

    Leaching from ore-processing sites; dis charge from electonics, glass, and drug factories

TAble 5 - detection of contaminants with a Secondary Drinking Water Standard-

Aesthetic standards. State Water Project (Aqueduct)

Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

Range of Detections

MCL

PHG

(MCLG)

Typical Source of Contaminant

Aluminum

11/2007 

0.060 mg/L

 

0.2 mg/L

 

  Erosion of natural deposits,
Acid rain

Chloride

11/2007

78 mg/L

 

250 mg/L

 

 

Erosion of natural deposits

Apparent Color (Unfiltered)

11/2007 

  ND

 

15 color units

 

 

Copper

11/2007

ND

 

1.0 mg/L

 

 Corrosion of home plumbing,

Erosion of natural deposits, wood preservatives

TAble 5 - detection of contaminants with a Secondary Drinking Water Standard-

Aesthetic standards. State Water Project (Aqueduct)

Chemical or Constituent
(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

Range of Detections

MCL

PHG

(MCLG)

Typical Source of Contaminant

Iron

11/2007

0.21 mg/l

 

0.3 mg/L

 

   

Leaching of natural deposits, industrial wastes

Manganese

11/2007 

0.02 mg/L    

 

0.05 mg/L 

 

 

Erosion of natural deposits

Silver

11/2007

ND

 

0.10 mg/L

 

 

Erosion of natural deposits

Sulfate

11/2007

37 mg/L

 

250 mg/L

 

 

Runoff/Corrosion of natural deposits, Inustrial wastes

Total Filterable Residue at 180 0C (TDS)

  11/2007

290 mg/L

 

1000 mg/L

 

 

Runoff/leaching form natural deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE 6 - DETECTION OF SYNTHETIC ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
INCLUDING PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES

Chemical or Constituent

(and reporting units)

Sample Date

Level Detected

 

Action Level

 

Health Effects Language

None Detected

 

 

 

 

*Any violation of an MCL or AL is asterisked.  Additional information regarding the violation is provided below.



Additional General Information On Drinking Water

All 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 the 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).

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, 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).

 

 

 

 

 

     


 

Summary Information for Contaminants Exceeding an MCL or AL, or a Violation of any Treatment or Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

  Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Water sample results recived in

 the third and forth quarters of 2007 showed that the running annual arithmetic average of

  TTHM, computed quarterly, has a level of 0.0907 mg/L and 0.0869 mg/L in the third and

 fourth quarter of 2007 respectively. These levels are above the TTHM maximum contaminant

 level (MCL) of 0.080 mg/L.    

 FIRST QUARTER 2008 LAB RESULTS COMPUTED BELOW THE 0.080mg/L AVERAGE

 

 

For Systems Providing Surface Water As A Source Of Drinking Water:

(Refer to page 1, “Type of Water Source” to see if your source of water is surface water or groundwater)

Table 7 - sampling results showing TREATMENT OF
 SURFACE WATER SOURCES
, Ca. Aqueduct

Treatment Technique*

(Type of approved filtration technology used) Conventional treatment consisting of flocculation, sedimentation, tri-media filtration and disinfection.

Turbidity Performance Standards **
(that must be met through the water treatment process)

Turbidity of the filtered water must:

1 -  Be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of measurements in a month.

2 -  Not exceed  1.0  NTU for more than eight consecutive hours.

3 -  Not exceed  5.0  NTU at any time.

Lowest monthly percentage of samples that met Turbidity Performance Standard No. 1.= 100%

 

Highest single turbidity measurement during the year= 0.18 NTU

 

The number of violations of any surface water treatment requirements = 0

 

* A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

** Turbidity (measured in NTU) is a  measurement of the cloudiness of water and is a good indicator of water quality and filtration performance.  Turbidity results which meet performance standards are considered to be in compliance with filtration requirements.

Summary Information for Surface Water Treatment

Turbidity   units :   source of contaminant = soil runoff