HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQR_2015_Report_FINAL.pdfCITY OF RENTON
Water Quality Report2
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THIS REPORT IS WRITTEN AND DISTRIBUTED in compliance
with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires water
utilities to provide annual “consumer confidence” reports to their
customers. You will find in this report:
»where our drinking water comes from;
»what minerals or chemicals it contains;
»how it compares to stringent water quality standards;
»what Renton is doing to protect our water supply,
»as well as what we are doing to wisely use and
conserve our regional water supply.
Hopefully this report will help you better
understand your drinking water. We assure
you that providing high quality and safe
drinking water is one of Renton’s highest
priorities.
This report contains important information about
your drinking water. Have someone translate it for
you, or speak with someone who understands it.
Este informe contiene informacion Importante acerca
de su agua potable. Haga que alguien lo traduzca
para usted, o hable con alguien que lo entienda.
Tài liệu này có tin tức quan trọng về nước uống của
qu´ y vi. Hãy nhờ người dich cho qu´ y vi, hoặc hỏi người
nào hiểu tài liệu này.
Karkari biyaha inta aadan isticmaalin.
WHO DO I CALL?
EMERGENCIES: CALL 911
Questions about this report:
Call Water Utility Engineering
425.430.7287
Water discoloration, taste or
odor:
Call Water Quality at
425.430.7400 (7:00 am–3:30 pm)
or 425.430.7500 after hours or
weekends
To report water pressure prob-
lems, water leak in the street or
at a meter:
Call Water Maintenance at
425.430.7400 (7:00 am–3:30 pm)
or 425.430.7500 after hours or
weekends
Moving and need to arrange a
change of water service, or for
general billing questions:
Call Utility Billing at 425.430.6852
Where Does Renton’s
Drinking Water Come From?
2013 RENTON WATER
UTILITY FACTOIDS
Total number of metered connections
17,971
Number of Water Supply Sources
in Operation in 2014
9 Wells, 1 Spring and
Seattle Public Utilities
Amount of Water Produced from
all Sources in 2014
2,508,965,776 gallons
Amount of Water Produced on Average Day
6,774,918 gallons
Amount of Water Produced on High Demand Day (August 1, 2014)
12,411,000 gallons
Amount of Water Produced on Low Demand Day (November 16, 2014)
4,285,000 gallons
Total miles of water main in service
304.6 miles
LEAD IN DRINKING WATER is primarily from materials and components associated
with service lines and home plumbing. If present, elevated levels of lead can cause
serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. The
City of Renton Water Utility is responsible for providing high quality drinking water,
but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. Homes
built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. The most
common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures which can
leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water. If your house
meets these criteria, then when your water has been sitting for several hours, you can
minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for thirty seconds to
two 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 (1.800.426.4791) or at www.epa.gov/
safewater/lead.
DURING THE YEAR 2014, Renton
obtained its drinking water from four
sources: five downtown wells, located
in Liberty and Cedar River Parks, which
draw water from the Cedar Valley
Aquifer; Springbrook Springs, a small
springs located in south Renton; and
from the Maplewood wellfield, located in
the Maplewood Golf Course. In 2014, our
combined water sources produced 2.51
billion gallons of water.
The fourth water source is the agreement
to buy water from Seattle Public Utilities
(SPU) which gets its supply from the
Cedar and Tolt rivers. This source became
available January 2012. During 2014, SPU
provided approximately 35.74 millions
gallons (1.4%) of water. This water was
used by the Renton Boeing plant. The
SPU water is primarily a backup supply
to be used during summer peak use
periods. More info on these sources can
be found at: http://www.seattle.gov/util/
myservices/water/water_quality/water-
qualityannualreport/
The water pumped from the downtown
wells and Springbrook Springs sources is
very clean and needs minimal treatment.
Chlorine is added to destroy bacteria,
parasites and viruses that could possibly
enter our source water. Chlorine also
protects water in the distribution system
in case there is a contamination event
like a water main break or backflow
incident. Sodium hydroxide is added
to slightly raise the water’s pH to help
prevent the corrosion of household
plumbing. Fluoride is also added to
prevent tooth decay and, in the areas
of Renton Hill, the Highlands and West
Hill, ortho polyphosphates are added to
reduce the internal corrosion of old cast
iron water mains that are found in these
neighborhoods. The six downtown wells
produced 66.6% of our water in 2014.
Springbrook Springs produced 18.4% of
Renton’s water in 2014.
Water from the Maplewood wells is
also very clean, but because of its
naturally occurring minerals, it must
first be treated before it is pumped
into the distribution system. The treat-
ment process consists of the removal
of manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and
ammonia from the source water. Chlo-
rine is added to protect the water in the
distribution system and fluoride is added
to prevent tooth decay. The Maplewood
wellfield’s three wells produced 13.6% of
our water in 2014.
2 2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report
THE EPA WANTS
YOU TO KNOW
OUR DRINKING WATER comes
from wells and springs. As our
water travels through the ground
to the wells, it can dissolve
naturally occurring minerals as
well as substances from human
activity. 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.
Some people may
be more vulnerable
to contaminants in
drinking water than
the general popu-
lation. Immuno- compromised
persons, such as persons with
cancer undergoing chemo-
therapy, persons who have
undergone organ transplants,
people with HIV/AIDS or other
immune system disorders, some
elderly, and infants can be partic-
ularly at risk from infections.
These people should seek advice
about drinking water from their
health care providers. EPA/CDC
guidelines on appropriate means
to lessen the risk of infection by
microbial contaminants as well as
more information about contami-
nants and potential health effects
can be obtained by calling the
Environmental Protection Agen-
cy’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at 1.800.426.4791.
Is our water hard or soft?
Renton’s water falls within the slightly
hard range with about 3.0 grains per
gallon of hardness. A water’s hardness
is dependent upon the levels of two
naturally occurring soluble minerals—
calcium and magnesium. This means
that dishwashing and clothes washing
require relatively less soap than in other
areas where the water is hard. Sometimes
hardness is also referred to as mg/L.
The table below shows the equivalent
measurements for water hardness.
WATER HARDNESS SCALE
Grains/Gal mg/L & ppm Classification
Less than 1 Less than 17.1 Soft
1–3.5 17.1–60 Slightly Hard
3.5–7 60–120 Moderately Hard
7–10 120–180 Hard
Over 10 Over 180 Very Hard
Does the City add fluoride to the water?
Yes, in 1985, the citizens of Renton voted
to have fluoride added to the City’s
drinking water. Fluoride levels were
adjusted in 2011 to meet the Washington
State Department of Health’s new recom-
mended level of 0.8 ppm. More info on
fluoride can be found at the CDC website,
www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faqs/.
Can I use tap water in my aquarium?
Chlorine, Cl, is used to treat drinking
water and is toxic to fish. Chlorine will
dissipate if you let the water sit for a
day or two. Use a water conditioner that
removes both chlorine to be on the safe
side. Aquarium water conditioners are
available at your pet store. Once the
water has been ‘conditioned’, it is safe
to use. Renton tap water is within the
generally recommended aquarium water
limits for nitrates, nitrites, fluoride and
sodium.
What are the water quality parameter values important in brewing beer?
Listed below are the values for the
minerals and parameters generally of
interest to brewers. Keep in mind that
these numbers are the annual range of
values. Also, Renton’s water comes from
multiple sources and that your house
may receive any combination of these
sources depending on pumping needs.
WATER SOURCE
Water Quality Parameter
Downtown &Maplewood Wells
Springbrook Springs
Total hardnessas Calcium Carbonate, mg/L 40—70 90—120
Alkalinity
as calcium
Carbonate, mg/L
30—70 30—70
Calcium, mg/L 11—18 20—24
Magnesium, mg/L 3—6 13 –15
Sodium, mg/L 5—32 5—32
Chloride, mg/L 3—11 5—6
Sulfate, mg/L 4—6 14—16
FAQS / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DID YOU KNOW
You use about 5 gallons of water if you leave
the water running while brushing your teeth.
2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report 3
CITY OF RENTON 2014 WATER QUALITY DATA
The results of our 2014 water quality monitoring requirements are shown in the following tables. These data are for substances regulated by
federal and state agencies. The Water Quality staff regularly monitors for over 100 substances, to make sure our drinking water is safe. The
substances listed in the tables below are the only ones that were detected above the Washington Department of Health reporting levels.
Downtown Wells, Springbrook Springs, and Maplewood Wellfield, sampled at the source after treatment
Detected Substance Year Sampled MCL MCLG Highest Amount(Range)Possible Sources
Fluoride (see note 1)2014 4 ppm 4 ppm 1.0 ppm(0.7 – 1.0 ppm)Water additive to prevent tooth decay
Sodium (see note 2)2010 Not established Not established 20 ppm(8 – 20 ppm)Erosion of natural deposits; Water treatment
Nitrate 2014 10 ppm 10 ppm 2.2 ppm(0.2 – 2.2 ppm)Fertilizer runoff; Leaching from septic tanks, Erosion of natural deposits
Copper 2010 AL = 1.3 ppm 1.3 ppm 0.1 ppm
(ND – 0.1 ppm)
Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from
wood preservatives
Total Trihalomethanes 2012 80 ppb Not Established 2.7 ppb
(ND – 2.7 ppb)
Disinfection by-product
Sampling Points in the Water Distribution System
Detected Substance Year MCL or MRDL MCLG or MRDLG Average Amount(Range)Possible Sources
Coliform Bacteria 2014 5% of samples positive per month 0% 0% (no samples positive)Naturally present in the environment
Chlorine 2014 4 ppm (MRDL)4 ppm (MRDLG)0.96 ppm(0.13 – 1.80 ppm)Additive to control microbes
Total Trihalomethanes 2014 80 ppb Not established 9.9 ppb
(0.5 – 16.3 ppb)
Disinfection byproduct
Haloacetic Acids 2014 60 ppb Not established 4.2 ppb
(ND – 6.6 ppb)
Disinfection byproduct
Residential Water Taps
Detected Substance Year Action Level MCLG 90th Percentile Value & Range Possible Sources
Copper (see note 3)2013 1.3 ppm 1.3 ppm 0.42 ppm
(0.05 – 0.59 ppm)
Corrosion of plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Lead (see note 3)2013 15 ppb 0 1 ppb
(ND – 3 ppb)
Corrosion of plumbing systems; Erosion of
natural deposits
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 (UCMR3) Sampling Results.
Includes sampling at the source after treatment and sampling in the distribution system
Detected Substance Year MRL Highest Amount(Range)Possible Sources
Chlorate 2014 20 ppb 419 ppb(ND – 419 ppb)Agricultural defoliant or desiccant, disinfection byproduct; and used in production of chlorine dioxide
Chromium(Total)2014 0.2 ppb 0.53 ppb(0.18 – 0.53 ppb)Naturally occurring element; used in making steel and other alloys; chromium 3 or 6 forms are used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preservation
Strontium 2014 0.3 ppb 88.7 ppb
(56.1 – 88.7 ppb)
Naturally occurring element; historically, commercial use of strontium has been
in the faceplate glass of cathode-ray tube televisions to block x-ray emissions
Chromium-6
(Hexavalent)
2014 0.03 ppb 0.23 ppb
(ND – 0.23 ppb)
Naturally occurring element; used in making steel and other alloys; chromium 3
or 6 forms are used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and
wood preservation
Molybdenum 2014 1 ppb 0.56 ppb(0.35 – 0.56 ppb)Naturally occurring element found in ores and present in plants, animals and bacteria; commonly used form molybdenum trioxide used as a chemical reagent
Vanadium 2014 0.2 ppb 1.7 ppb(ND – 1.7 ppb)Naturally occurring elemental metal; used as vanadium pentoxide which is a chemical intermediate and a catalyst
4 2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES 2014 WATER QUALITY MONITORING RESULTS
Cedar and Tolt Water Quality Data for this year’s CCR
EPA’s Allowable Limits Levels in Cedar Water Levels in Tolt Water
Detected Compounds Units MCLG MCL Average Range Average Range Typical Sources
RAW WATER
Total Organic Carbon ppm NA TT 0.9 0.4 to 1.9 1.3 1.1 to 1.7 Naturally present in the
environment
Cryptosporidium*#/100L NA NA ND ND ND ND Naturally present in the environment
FINISHED WATER
Turbidity NTU NA TT 0.4 0.2 to 1.6 0.07 0.05 to 0.28 Soil runoff
Barium ppb 2000 2000 1.4 (one sample)1.2 (one sample)Erosion of natural deposits
Bromate ppb 0 10 ND ND 0.2 ND – 1.5 By-product of drinking water disinfection
Fluoride ppm 4 4 0.8 0.7 to 0.8 0.8 0.7 to 0.9 Water additive, which promotes
strong teeth
Nitrate ppm 10 10 0.02 (one sample)0.11 (one sample)Erosion of natural deposits
*Cryptosporidium was not detected in any samples from the Cedar or Tolt (3 samples each supply).
NOTES:
1. Renton also measures fluoride
levels daily in the distribution
system. Beginning in year 2011
Renton attempted to maintain
fluoride at a level of 0.8 ppm,
which is the new level recom-
mended by the Washington
State Department of Health.
Renton citizens voted to add
fluoride to the drinking water
in 1985.
2. The EPA recommends 20
ppm as a level of concern for
people on a sodium-restricted
diet. Renton adds sodium
hydroxide to prevent corro-
sion of plumbing. Sodium
hypochlorite is added to water
from the Maplewood wells for
disinfection and to remove
naturally-occurring ammonia.
3. Forty-four (44) samples were
tested for copper and lead.
Ninety percent of the samples
tested (40 samples) had levels
at or below the value shown.
Ten percent of the samples
tested (4 samples) had levels
above this value.
DEFINITIONS:
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant
Level Goal – The level of a
contaminant in drinking water
below which there is no known
or expected risk to health. MCLGs
allow for a margin of safety.
MCL: Maximum Contaminant
Level – The highest level of a
contaminant that is allowed in
drinking water. MCLs are set as
close to MCLGs as feasible using
the best available treatment
technology.
AL: Action Level – The concen-
tration of a contaminant which,
if exceeded, triggers treatment
or other requirements which a
water system must follow.
MRDLG Maximum Residual
Disinfectant Level Goal – The level
of a drinking water disinfectant
below which there is no known
or expected risk to health.
MRDLGs do not reflect the bene-
fits of the use of disinfectants to
control microbial contaminants.
MRDL Maximum Residual
Disinfectant Level – The highest
level of a disinfectant allowed
in drinking water. There is
convincing evidence that addi-
tion of a disinfectant is necessary
for control of microbial contam-
inants.
MRL – Minimum Reporting Level
NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity
Unit – Turbidity is a measure of
how clear the water looks. The
turbidity MCL that applied to the
Cedar supply in 2014 is 5 NTU,
and for the Tolt it was 0.3 NTU
for at least 95% of the samples
in a month. 100% of the samples
from the Tolt in 2014 were below
0.3 NTU.
NA: Not Applicable
ND: Not Detected
ppb parts per billion – One part
per billion is equivalent to ¼ of a
dissolved aspirin tablet in 1000
full bathtubs of water (approxi-
mately 50,000 gallons of water).
DID YOU KNOW
Showering and
bathing are the
largest indoor
uses (27%) of water
domestically.
ppm parts per million – One part
per million is equivalent to ¼ of
a dissolved aspirin tablet in a full
bathtub of water (approximately
50 gallons of water).
ppm: 1 part per million = 1 mg/L
= 1 milligram per liter
ppb: 1 part per billion = 1 ug/L
= 1 microgram per liter
1 ppm =1000 ppb
TT: Treatment Technique –
A required process intended to
reduce the level of a contaminant
in drinking water.
2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report 5
WANT TO GET
INVOLVED?
THE CITY OF RENTON
WELCOMES YOUR INTEREST
IN ITS WATER SYSTEM. The
Renton City Council is the City’s
decision-making body. The
Council meets on the first four
Mondays of each month at 7:00
pm in the Council Chambers
on the seventh floor of City
Hall. Call the City Clerk’s office
at 425.430.6510 for meeting or
agenda information or check the
City Council calendar at Renton’s
website, www.rentonwa.gov/
government
»Maintenance practices: Repair leaky
faucets and toilets, replace washers in
hose connectors, and clean downspouts
and gutters manually, without using a
hose.
»Water efficient appliances: retrofit
with WaterSense toilets and clothes
washers; EnergyStar dishwashers.
»Sweeping paved areas: sweep side-
walks and driveways instead of hosing.
Put sweepings in the garbage to prevent
pollutants and debris from entering
streams and storm drains.
»Stormwater runoff: Disconnect gutter
stormwater directed downspouts and use
techniques to direct runoff through the
soil to “biofilter” potential pollutants.
»Car washing: Use automatic car washes
that recycle water and properly dispose
of detergents.
»Oil and chemicals: Never dump oil or
other chemicals down storm drains,
Make sure these pollutants are not
leaking onto driveways or other paved
surfaces to avoid them being washed
into waterways.
»Pressure washing: Pressure wash with
water alone or with an organic recipe
if needed; keep paint flakes, grease,
and other pollutants from washing into
storm drains, ditches or waterways.
»Plant trees beside streams: Salmon
and trout need cool shady water to
survive. Trees also stop erosion and
provide more food for fish.
How Much Water Do You Use?
EVER WONDERED WHY YOUR WATER BILL SEEMED SO HIGH? The City’s new
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) can help you detect leaks or how your
watering practices impact your water bill. Near real-time water usage can be viewed
on the City’s website. You can see hourly, weekly, monthly consumption as well as
side by side year-to-year monthly comparisons. Installation of the system should be
complete late summer of 2015. The system employs a low-power radio transmitter
attached inside the water meter box. The meter sends a 60 millisecond (0.060 second)
transmission of hourly consumption data to a collector and then to City Hall, every
four hours. This data is then accessible to you.
You can find the Water History Tool at: rentonnet.org:8080/water usage. Or, from City
of Renton homepage (RentonWA.gov), click on Utility Billing, lower right column, then
click on Water Usage History, upper right. Enter the 8 digit Serial Number as it appears
on your water utility bill to access your consumption data.
Coeur d’Alene, ID Utility Box
Beautification Project by Melissa Cole HELP KEEP SALMON SWIMMING
DID YOU KNOW
The average
American uses
140-170 gallons
of water per day.
Customers replacing pre-2004 water-guzzling
toilets with the latest Premium 1.06 gallons per
flush models can receive $75 rebate per toilet
(limit 2 per household)
Find a list of local retailers and qualifying
models of 1.06 gallon per flush toilets at
savingwater.org/rebates. Download an
application online or call 425.430.7287 for info.
6 2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report
In 2003, the Washington State Legislature passed the Municipal Water Law, to address the increasing demand on the state’s water resources. The law established that all
municipal water suppliers must use water more efficiently in exchange for water right certainty and flexibility to help them meet future demand. The Water Use Efficiency
Rule is part of this law and requires municipal water suppliers to report their goals and progress each year.
Water Use Efficiency Rule Update
RENTON SIGNED an agreement to
buy water from Seattle Public Utili-
ties in January 2012. As part of this
agreement, the City of Renton joined
the Saving Water Partnership (SWP), a
collaboration of 19 local water utili-
ties who provide water conservation
programs in Seattle and King County.
On October 21, 2013 in a public forum,
Renton City Council adopted the SWP’s
regional goal.
The Saving Water Partnership (SWP)
has set a six-year goal:”reduce per
capita use from current levels so that
the SWP’s total average annual retail
water use is less than 105 mgd from
2013 through 2018 despite forecasted
population growth.” In order to meet
the goal, the amount of water used
per person will need to decrease to
offset growth. For 2014, the Saving
Water Partnership met the goal, using
93.8 mgd.
Highlights of the Regional Conservation Program from 2014
»The SWP focused on youth educa-
tion in 2014, conducting 270
in-classroom presentations for nearly
6,800 K-12 grade students. Topics
included water efficiency, the water
cycle, the salmon life cycle, water-
wise gardening and the water supply
system. The program is a big hit
among teachers and students.
»The SWP provided rebates for
Premium WaterSense toilets for resi-
dential and commercial customers.
These fixtures use 1.06 gallons of
water per flush, at least 20% less
water than a regular WaterSense
fixture.
»The Single Family Toilet Rebate
Program processed nearly 100
Premium WaterSense and nearly 400
Regular WaterSense rebates.
»The Multifamily Toilet Replacement
Program upgraded nearly 800 toilets
to Premium WaterSense models, and
nearly 300 toilets to Regular Water-
Sense models.
»The SWP completed financial incen-
tive projects to upgrade water-using
equipment in 63 businesses in 2014.
Two large hotels replaced a total of
360 toilets with Premium WaterSense
models.
»The SWP presented 14 Savvy
Gardener classes at five locations
in Spring and Fall 2014 with 300
attendees. These classes were
designed to inspire, create, and
maintain healthy, water-efficient
landscapes.
Water Consumption and Losses
Renton’s total water supply for 2014
was 2,508,965,776 gallons. Our distribu-
tion system losses (DSL) as calculated
and reported in the 2014 Water Use
Efficiency (WUE) report to the State
Depart of Health, is our 3-year rolling
average, which is 9.43%, and under the
WUE Rule’s required 10%. Our DSL for
the calendar year, 2014 was 11.9%, or
297,530,859 gallons.
The DSL percentage is calculated:
DSL = ((TP - AC) / (TP)) x 100. Where
TP=total production and AC=autho-
rized consumption. Our DSL losses
reflects the amount of unauthorized
water (and potential revenue) that has
been lost due to, water theft, water
main breaks, meter inaccuracies, etc.
Renton water utility has a “Water Loss
Control Action Plan”, which will lower
our DSL in 2015.
DID YOU KNOW
A leaky faucet
can waste
100 gallons a day.
DID YOU KNOW
Less than 2% of the
Earth’s water supply
is fresh water.
2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report 7
RESOURCES
Smart Watering
• savingwater.org/LawnGarden/
WateringIrrigation
• epa.gov/watersense/outdoor
Landscape, Weather and Irrigation
• iwms.org
• epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/
• seattle.gov/util/Environment
Conservation/MyLawnGarden/
ChoosingNurseryLandscaper/
Plant Selection
• greatplantpicks.org
• pnwplants.wsu.edu
• savingwater.org/LawnGarden/Plants
Natural Yard Care
• savingwater.org/LawnGarden
• rodsgarden.50megs.com/waterwise.htm
• epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/
greenscapes
Ways to Save Indoor
• h2ouse.org
• gracelinks.org/1297/how-to-save-water
This 2015 water quality report is easily
accessible at: rentonwa.gov/CCR2015
Previous years can be found online at:
rentonwa.gov/waterquality
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! Go to savingwater.org and take our water
conservation survey and enter to win a free home water and energy saving kit!
8 2015 City of Renton Water Quality Report