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2014 Water Quality Report 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) CITY OF SCHERTZ Water System # TX0940003 210-619-1800 Special Notice: Required language for ALL community public water supplies You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly or immunocompromised persons such as those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer; those who have undergone organ transplants; those who are undergoing treatment with steroids; and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders can be particularly at risk from infections. You should seek advice about drinking water from your physician or health care provider. Additional guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. Our Drinking Water Meets or Exceeds All Federal (EPA) Drinking Water Requirements: This report is a summary of the quality of the water we provide our customers. The analysis was made by using the data from the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required tests and is presented in the attached pages. We hope this information helps you become more knowledgeable about what is in your drinking water. Water Sources: The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) includes 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 before treatment include: microbes, inorganic contaminants, pesticides, herbicides, radioactive contaminants and organic chemical contaminants. En Espanol: Este informe incluye informacion importante sobre el agua potable. Si tiene preguntas o comentarios sobre este informe en espanol, favor de llamar at tel. (210) 619-1110- para hablar con una persona bilingue en espanol. Public Participation Opportunities: To learn about future public meetings concerning your drinking water or to request to a meeting, please call us. Date: Monday – Friday Time: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Location: 10 Commercial Place, Bldg 2 Phone Number: 210-619-1800 Where do we get our drinking water? Our drinking water is obtained from two Ground water sources: The Schertz Seguin Well Field water comes from the CARRIZO-WILCOX Aquifer and the Naco Well 1 & 2 water comes from the EDWARDS Aquifer. The Naco Wells are only used when water supply from the Schertz Seguin Well is limited. A Source Water Susceptibility Assessment for your drinking water source(s) is currently being updated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This information describes the susceptibility and types of constituents that may come into contact with your drinking water source based on human activities and natural conditions. The information contained in the assessment allows us to focus our source water protection strategies. Some of this source water assessment information will be available later this year on Texas Drinking Water Watch at http://dww.tceq.state.tx.us/DWW/. For more information on source water assessments and protection efforts at our system, please contact us. ALL drinking water may contain contaminants: When drinking water meets federal standards there may not be any health based benefits to purchasing bottled water or point of use devices. 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 EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. Secondary Constituents: Many constituents (such as calcium, sodium, or iron) which are often found in drinking water, can cause taste, color and odor problems. The taste and odor constituents are called secondary constituents and are regulated by the State of Texas, not the EPA. These constituents are not cause for health concern. Therefore, secondaries are not required to be reported in this document but they may greatly affect the appearance and taste of your water. 0940003 Page 1 of 5 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report About the following pages: The pages that follow list all of the federally regulated or monitored contaminants which have been found in your drinking water. The U.S. EPA requires water systems to test for up to 97 contaminants. Definitions: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) The highest permissible level of a contaminant in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) The highest level of 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 disinfectants to control microbial contamination. Treatment Technique (TT) A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water. Action Level (AL) The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Abbreviations: NTU- Nephelometric Turbidity Units MFL- million fibers per liter (a measure of asbestos) pCi/l-picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) ppm- parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L) ppb- parts per billion, or micrograms per liter – or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water ppt- parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter ppq- parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter na- not applicable Inorganic Contaminants Collection Contaminant Violation Level Found MCL MCLG Unit of Source of Contaminant Date Measure 2014 Barium No 0.0952 2 2 ppm Discharge of drilling wasters; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits. 2014 Fluoride No 0.14 4 4 ppm Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. 2014 Nitrate No <.01 10 10 ppm Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks; sewage; erosion of natural deposits 2011 Combined Radium No 1 5 0 pCi/L Erosion of natural deposits. 226 & 228 2012 Gross Beta Emitters No 6 50 0 pCi/L Decay of natural and man- made deposits Nitrate Advisory- Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant you should ask advice from your health care provider. Organic Contaminants TESTING WAIVED, NOT REPORTED, OR NONE DETECTED. 0940003 Page 2 of 5 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Systems must complete and submit disinfection data on the Disinfection Level Quarterly Operating Report (DLQOR). On the CCR report, the system must provide disinfectant type, minimum, maximum and average levels. Year Disinfectant Average Minimum Maximum MRDL MRDLG Unit of Source of Chemical Tested Level Level Level Measure 2014 Chlorine 2.02 1.19 2.50 4.0 <4.0 ppm Disinfectant used to control microbes. Disinfection Byproducts Year Contaminant Average Highest Range of MCL Unit of Source of Tested Level Level Levels Measure Contaminant 2014 Total Haloacetic Acids 1.0 2.1 0 – 2.1 60 ppb Byproduct of drinking water disinfection 2014 Total Trihalomethanes 7.0 14.9 3.8-14.9 80 ppb Byproduct of drinking water disinfection “This evaluation is sampling required by EPA to determine the range of total trihalomethane and haloacetic acids in the system for future regulations. The samples are not used for compliance, and have been collected under non-standard conditions. EPA requires the data to be reported here. Please contact your water representative if you have any questions”. Coliform Bacteria Total Coliform bacteria are used as indicators of microbial contamination of drinking water because testing for them is easy. While not disease causing organisms themselves, they are often found in association with other microbes that are capable of causing disease. Coliform bacteria are more hardy than many disease causing organism; therefore, their absence from water is a good indication that the water is microbiologically safe for human consumption. *5% of monthly samples are positive-no more than 2 positive samples allowed =Fecal Coliform or E.Coli MCL: A routine sample and a repeat sample are total coliform positive, and one is also fecal Coliform or E. Coli positive Year Contaminant Highest Monthly Total Coliform MCLG Total # of Unit of Violation Source of Contaminant # of Positive MCL E.Coli or Measure Samples Fecal Coliform Samples 2014 Total Coliform 2.3 * 0 0 Presence N Naturally present in the environment 2014 Fecal Coliform 0 = 0 0 Presence N Naturally present in the environment Fecal coliform bacteria and, in particular, E. coli, are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a health risk for infants, young children, some elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. Turbidity NOT REQUIRED Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 2 (UCMR2) Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. Any unregulated contaminants detected are reported in the following table. For additional information and data visit: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ucmr/ucmr2/index.html, or call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. 0940003 Page 3 of 5 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Lead and Copper Year Contaminant The 90th # of Sites Violation MCLG Action Unit of Source of Contaminant Tested Percentile Exceeding Level Measure Action Level 2013 Lead 0 0 No 0 15 ppb Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits 2013 Copper 0.0782 0 No 1.3 1.3 ppm Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives Required Additional Health Information for Lead “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. This water supply 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.” Violations Table Lead and Copper Rule The Lead and Copper Rule protects public health by minimizing lead and copper levels in drinking water, primarily by reducing water corrosivity. Lead and copper enter drinking water mainly from corrosion of lead and copper containing plumbing materials. Violation Type Violation Begin Violation End Violation Explanation LEAD CONSUMER NOTICE (LCR) 12/30/2013 5/28/2014 We failed to provide the results of lead tap water monitoring to the consumers at the location water was tested. These were supposed to be provided no later than 30 days after learning the results. To date, all affected residents have been notified by USPS. Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer Water Data- Taken from Schertz Seguin Local Government Corporation CCR #TX0940094 Secondary and Other Constituents Not Regulated (No associated adverse health effects) Year Tested Constituent Violation Highest Level Unit of MCL Source of Constituent Found Measure (mg/l) 2013 Bicarbonate No 118 ppm N/A Corrosion of carbonate rock such as limestone 2013 Calcium No 21.8 ppm N/A Abundant naturally occurring element 2013 Chloride No 28 ppm 300 Abundant naturally occurring element, used in water purification; byproduct of oil field activity 2013 Hardness as No 70.6 ppm N/A Naturally occurring calcium and CACO3 2013 Magnesium No 3.93 ppm N/A Abundant naturally occurring element 2013 Manganese No 0.0027 ppm 0.05 Abundant naturally occurring element 2013 Nickel No 0.0014 ppm 0.1 Erosion on natural deposits 2010 pH No 8.1 units >7.0 Measure of corrosivity of water 2013 Sodium No 32.8 ppm N/A Erosion of natural deposits; byproduct of oil field activity 0940003 Page 4 of 5 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2013 Sulfate No 28 ppm 300 Naturally occurring; common industrial byproduct; byproduct of oil field activity 2013 Total Alkalinity No 97 ppm N/A Naturally occurring soluble mineral As CaCO3 2013 Zinc No 0.0074 ppm 5.0 Moderately abundant naturally occurring element used in metal industry In the water loss audits submitted to the Texas Water Development Board for the time period of Jan-Dec 2014, our system lost an estimated 36.9 mg of water (4.46%). If you have any questions about the water loss audit please call PWS phone number.