HomeMy WebLinkAboutUtilities 2009-06-23 Item 3E - Report - 2008 Drinking Water Quality ReportRECOMMENDATION
Information only.
City of Tukwila
Jim Haggerton, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Haggerton
Utilities Committee
FROM: Public Works Director Q TC)
DATE: June 20, 2009
SUBJECT: 2008 Drinking Water Quality Report
ISSUE
Drinking Water Quality Annual Report for the Year 2008.
BACKGROUND
The Washington Department of Health requires water providers to send a consumer confidence
report each year to their customers. The report gives information on how we protect the quality
of their drinking water supply. It also answers frequently asked questions about the chlorination
and fluoridation of the water. There is information on how to conserve water which was added
after the new Municipal Water Law went into effect.
Our wholesale provider, Cascade Water Alliance, in conjunction with Seattle Public Utilities
(SPU), provides information about the source water as part of an aggressive watershed
protection plan for the Cedar River basin area. SPU laboratory personnel perform bi- weekly
monitoring of the Tukwila distribution system for the presence of any contaminants or
organisms.
Tukwila operations crews regularly check chlorine residual when doing routine maintenance. In
areas where the distribution main is on a dead -end street, the crews will flush the system to
reduce stagnation and keep the chlorine residual at its proper level. If you happen to be driving
by when this occurs you will see a blue sign that says "Flushing for Water Quality" near the
workers.
Attachment: Drinking Water Quality Annual Report for the Year 2008
W:\PW Eng \OTHER \Pat Brodin \Info Memo WaterQual Rpt 2008 Final.doc
Drink up!
Quality drinking water is fundamental to our way of life.
The City of Tukwila is committed to providing you with
high quality drinking water, and we are pleased to present
a summary of our services for 2008. If you have questions
about the information in this report, please call Tukwila's
Public Works Department at 206-433 -0179.
Tukwila's drinking water comes from Seattle's highly pro-
tected Cedar River Watershed in the Cascade Mountains.
The Cascade Water Alliance, a regional water supplier, pur-
chases this water from Seattle and provides it to Tukwila
along with other members in a cost effective and environ-
mentally sensitive way.
Conservation
Tukwila supplied nearly 690 million gallons of drinking wa-
ter in 2008 to its retail and commercial customers. Tukwila
has strived to stay within the 10% water loss as required
under the Municipal Water Law through aggressive leak de-
tection work. Through the Cascade Water Alliance, Tukwila
is a member of the Saving Water Partnership, along with
Seattle Public Utilities and 17 other local utilities that have
collectively adopted a regional water conservation goal of
1 1.0 million gallons per day by 2010.
The Tukwila City Council formally adopted a six -year water
conservation goal under Resolution 1645. Many spe-
cial, highly successful water- saving programs are offered
to Tukwila customers, including the Washwise rebates for
efficient clothes washers, the high efficiency toilet rebate
program, commercial irrigation audits, and commercial rain
sensors. Visit the Cascade Water Alliance website at http:
www.cascadewaterorg/con_rebates.html to look for the
water conservation rebates available to Tukwila water cus-
Cedar River Samples
Detected Compounds (Units)
MCLG MCL Average Range Typical Sources
Turbidity (NTU)
Fluoride (mg/1)
Nitrate (ppm)
Barium (ppb)
Bromate
Total Coliform. positive samples
Combined distribution system
Total Trihalomethanes (ppb)
Definitions
MCLG I Maximum Contaminant
Leuel Goal
MCL Maximum
Contaminant Level
NTU Nephelometric
Turbidity Unit
NA Not Applicable
DRINKING WATER QUALITY
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2008
System ID #89500F
Presented by the City of Tukwila
Department of Public Works Water Utility Division
NA
4
10
2000
0
0*
NA
tomers. To discover more ways to conserve, go to www.
sauinawaternro, or call 206- 684-SAVE (7283).
Treating the water we drink
Currently, there are four steps in the treatment of the Ce-
dar water supply: screening, fluoridation, corrosion con-
trol, and disinfection. The Cedar treatment facility includes
ozonation and ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection to supple-
ment chlorine disinfection, thereby killing any harmful bac-
teria or viruses that may be present. The new treatment
process improves the taste and odor of Cedar River water,
as well as increasing the public's protection.
Water system security
There is a heightened awareness throughout the nation
among those who provide safe drinking water. Your Tukwila
Public Works Department has taken extra steps to ensure
the safety and integrity of the water distribution system
and storage facilities in this area to protect the quality of
water at your tap.
2008 water quality monitoring results
2008 water quality monitoring results listed in the table
below show that there were no contaminants at or above
levels allowed by federal and state agencies. The first col-
umn lists each compound that was found and the units of
measure. The MCLG and MCL columns list the U.S. En-
vironmental Protection Agency's allowable limits (refer to
the definition of MCLG and MCL below the table). Tukwila
customers and nearly all other regional customers living
south of the ship canal receive water from the Cedar River.
If you would like a copy of the list of undetected contami-
nants (compounds monitored but not found), please call
Tukwila Public Works Operations at 206 433 -1860.
5 0.32 0.2 -1.9 Soil runoff
5 1.00 0.6 1.0 Water additive promoting strong teeth
(target: 1 milligram per liter)
10 I No I 1 Erosion of natural deposits
2000 I 2.10 I I sample' Erosion of natural deposits
10 I No 1 0.5 I By- product of drinking water ozonation.
I* I Highest month 0 I Naturally present in the environment, indicator that
Annual 0 other potentially harmful bacteria may be present
100 1 26.0 1 10 1 By-product of chlorination
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.
The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to
the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Turbidity is a measure of how clear the water looks The turbidity MCL that applies to the Cedar
supply Is 5 NTU.
ND Not Detected ppm Parts Per Million ppb Parts Per Billion
Cryptowhat?
Cryptosporidium parvum is a microscopic organism that,
when ingested, can result in diarrhea, fever and other gas-
trointestinal symptoms. These disease- causing organisms
are commonly found in the natural environment and in
most surface water sources. Seattle's Cedar treatment fa-
cility increases public protection by destroying cryptospo-
ridium and other microbial organisms.
Source water monitoring in 2008 detected cryptosporidi-
um in one of the three samples collected from the Cedar
supply. These levels are relatively low compared to typical
rivers and streams throughout the country.
Ensuring your water is pure
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency prescribed regulations limiting
the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by
public water systems. The U.S. Food and Drug Administra-
tion regulates contaminants in bottled water, which must
provide the same level of public health protection. Drinking
water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected
to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.
The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily
indicate that water poses a health risk. More information
about contaminations and potential health effects can be
obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's
Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1- 800 426 4791), or from the
EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water website
at htto: /www.eoa.eov /safewater /index.html.
Notice: Important information
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in
drinking water than the general population. Immuno -com-
promised persons (such as persons with cancer undergoing
chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ trans-
plants, people with HIV, AIDS or other immune system
disorders), some elderly persons, and infants can be par-
ticularly at risk for infections. These people or their care-
givers should seek advice about drinking water from their
health care providers. EPA /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).
For more water quality information:
TUKWILA PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT:
6300 Southcenter Boulevard
Tukwila, WA 98188
Phone: 206 433 -0179
Email: tukowene ci.tukwila.wa.us
Water Maintenance: 206 433 -1860
Website: www.ci.tukwila.wa.us
CASCADE WATER ALLIANCE:
Water Conservation Rebates: 425- 453 -0930
Website: www. cascadewater .ora /conservation2.oho
Frequently Asked questions
What are DBPs?
DBP stands for "Disinfection Byproducts When disinfec-
tants are added to water they help maintain the safety of
the water but they can also mix with natural materials to
form DBPs. The EPA has finalized Stage 2 D /DBP rule for safe
drinking water and is implementing the initial phases now.
The City of Tukwila has completed the required monitoring
plan for the "Initial Distribution System Evaluation."
What is the pH of water supplied to Tukwila customers?
The average pH of Seattle's source water is 7.0. The pH is
boosted to 8.2 in the distribution system as part of SPU's
corrosion control policy.
Does the water I receive have fluoride in it?
In accordance with a Seattle public vote held in November
1968, Seattle Public Utilities also adds fluoride to the drink-
ing water at appropriate levels to prevent tooth decay.
How can I get more involved in decisions affecting
my drinking water?
Please contact the Tukwila Public Works office at 206-
433 -0179 with any concerns you might have. The Tukwila
Utilities Committee also welcomes public comment; they
meet twice monthly at 6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite
100, in Tukwila. To find out more about the current Utili-
ties Committee agenda and meeting times, please call us
at 206 -433 -1800, or check on the City's website: htto:
www.ci.tukwila.wa us.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY:
Groundwater and
Drinking Water site www.eoa.eov /safewaterhndex.html
Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1- 800 -426 -4791
Safe Drinking Water Hotline email hotline -sdwa( eoamail.eoa.eov
Washington State
Department of Health website www.doh.wa.aov /ehn /dw/