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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQR_2015_Report_FINAL.pdfCITY OF RENTON Water Quality Report2 0 1 5 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