HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 6/18/2013 - Memorandum From Lisa Voytko And Kevin Gertig Re: 2012 Drinking Water Quality ReportContinuing Our Commitment
Know your H2
O. Learn where your local drinking water comes from and how it compares to federal standards. Check out Fort
Collins Utilities’ annual Drinking Water Quality Report, and let us know if you have questions. We remain committed to delivering
high-quality drinking water and meeting the challenges of source water protection, water conservation and community education.
Water Quality Test Results
The values below represent data for water treated by Fort Collins Utilities’ Water Treatment Facility (Utilities) and Soldier Canyon
Filter Plant (SCFP). The lead and copper data are from 2011. All other data are from monitoring that was completed during 2012,
in compliance with regulations.
Regulated in the Distribution System
Parameter Results TT Requirement Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Chlorine
There were no two consecutive months
having fewer than 95% samples greater
than 0.02 ppm
For any two consecutive months, at least 95% of
samples per month must be greater than 0.02 ppm Yes
Water additive used to
control microbes
Parameter Monitoring
Period Results
Number of
Samples MCL MCLG
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Total
coliform December
2.68%
positive 112
No more
than 5.0%
positive
samples
per period
0 Yes Naturally present in
the environment
Parameter Average
Range of
Individual
Samples
Number of
Samples
Unit of
Measure MCL MCLG
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
HAA5 20.6 10.9 to 28 28 ppb 60 N/A Yes
TTHM 30.68 20 to 45.76 28 ppb 80 N/A Yes By-product of disinfection
Chlorite 0.26 0.16 to 0.49 36 ppm 1.0 .8 Yes
Regulated at the Consumer’s Tap - 50 Homes Were Tested
Parameter Monitoring
Period
90th
Percentile
Number of
Samples
Unit of
Measure
Action
Environmental Leadership
Utilities’ Water Treatment Facility strives to be a good steward of natural resources
and an environmental leader. The facility has established a formal Environment
Management System (EMS), which is certified to ISO 14001:2004 standards. Key
aspects include reductions in energy use and overall greenhouse gas footprint.
The treatment facility participates in the Colorado Industrial Energy Challenge,
sponsored by the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office and the U.S. Department of
Energy. The facility conducted technical energy audits and engineering studies, and,
after implementing the recommendations, yielded significant reductions in energy
usage and cost savings—even in the face of rising treated water demands.
For the fourth consecutive year, the treatment facility was recognized as a Silver
Partner in the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program (ELP), administered
by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Division of
Environmental Health and Sustainability. Activities in support of a goal to be
recognized as an ELP Gold Leader in 2013 currently are underway.
The facility recently earned its 14th consecutive Director’s Award as a member of the
Partnership for Safe Water, an alliance of six drinking water organizations, including
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Only top-tier water plants that
have a demonstrated commitment to providing superior quality water to customers
beyond the requirements of the USEPA regulations receive this award.
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Cryptosporidium
and Giardia
Cryptosporidium and Giardia come
from animal and human waste in
the watershed and are common
in untreated surface water. When
ingested, the organisms may cause
fever, nausea and diarrhea. They are
removed by a well-maintained water
treatment process.
In 2012, Fort Collins Utilities tested
the untreated source water for both
organisms. Giardia was found in the
Poudre River. Cryptosporidium was
not found in either the Poudre River or
Horsetooth Reservoir.
EPA Information
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) states 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 the water poses a
health risk.
More information about contaminants
and potential health risks can be
obtained by calling the Safe Drinking
Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or
visiting epa.gov/safewater.
Fluoridation
As directed by City Council and our
customers, Utilities adds fluoride to
its water, resulting in levels that range
from 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride
per liter of treated water.
If you or members of your household
are sensitive to fluoride or fluoridation-
Vulnerable Populations
Some people may be more vulnerable
to contaminants in drinking water than
the general population. Particularly
at risk are immunocompromised
persons, such as those undergoing
chemotherapy; those who have
received organ transplants; people
with HIV/AIDS or other immune-
system disorders; and some elderly
and infants. These people should seek
advice about drinking water from their
healthcare providers.
Guidelines to lessen the risk of infection
by Cryptosporidium and other microbial
contaminants are available the EPA/
Center for Disease Control. Call the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800)
426-4791 or visit epa.gov/safewater.
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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.
While Utilities is responsible for
providing high-quality drinking
water, we 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, you may wish to have
your water tested.
For more information, testing methods
and steps to minimize exposure,
call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline
at (800) 426-4791 or visit epa.gov/
safewater/lead.
Protecting The Colorado-Big Thompson and Cache
la Poudre Watersheds
Fort Collins Utilities’ drinking water comes from the Cache la Poudre River and
Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) watersheds. Fort Collins Utilities collaborates with
other local drinking water providers to monitor and assess water quality in the
upper Cache la Poudre watershed. We also are a member of the Big Thompson
Watershed Forum (btwatershed.org) and partner with a variety of organizations to
monitor and analyze water quality in the CBT watershed and Horsetooth Reservoir.
Monitoring data are used to determine if activities in the watershed are causing
water quality to change over time. With the exception of wildfires, water quality
data collected by Utilities do not indicate the presence of any persistent sources of
contamination within either watershed.
In June and July 2012, the Upper Poudre Watershed was heavily impacted by the
Hewlett and High Park Fires, which together burned nearly 95,000 acres. These
fires will have a lasting impact on the water quality of the Poudre River. Utilities
Para más información de este informe de su calidad de agua potable en español, llame Fort Collins Utilities a (970) 221-6700,
TDD (970) 224-6003 o envie preguntas en español a utilities@fcgov.com.
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Treating Source Water
To ensure tap water is safe to drink, the CDPHE regulates the amount of certain contaminants in water from public water
systems. Source water may contain:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems,
agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which may 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, which are byproducts of industrial
processes and petroleum production; contaminants also may come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and
septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants, which may be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
Where Our Raw Water Originates
Fort Collins Utilities’ water comes from the Horsetooth Reservoir and Cache la Poudre River. Beginning as rain and snow in the
mountains, Horsetooth water is delivered from the western slope via the Colorado-Big Thompson Water Project, while Poudre River
water originates on the eastern slope, northwest of Fort Collins.
Utilities’ Water Treatment Facility produces nearly all the water it distributes; however, customers may occasionally receive a blend of
water treated by Utilities and the Soldier Canyon Filter Plant. Both treatment facilities use Horsetooth Reservoir and the Poudre River
as sources of water.
As water travels over the land’s surface or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances
resulting from the presence of animals and humans. Both facilities remove these substances through treatment processes.
fcgov.com/utilities • utilities@fcgov.com • (970) 221-6700 • TDD: (970) 224-6003
Community Participation
Community members are welcome to attend Fort Collins Utilities’ Water Board meetings. The Board is a citizen committee that
advises City Council on matters of policy and budget. Please see the schedule and location at fcgov.com/cityclerk/water.php.
began water quality monitoring immediately following the fires and will continue to
do so as the watershed recovers over the next several years.
These efforts have and will continue to help optimize water treatment operations
and meet the standards for the high-quality drinking water our customers expect. In
addition, monitoring will help evaluate the recovery process and the related changes
that occur in water quality through time. Water quality instruments on the Poudre
River provide alerts in the event of rapidly changing water quality conditions that
often accompany rain events or other changes to the river flows.
Utilities has worked with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
and other local partners to assess and mitigate the hazards associated with flash
flooding and sediment erosion. Post-fire treatments have focused on applying mulch
to drainages that were burned at high severity and pose the greatest risk to water
quality and other human, cultural and natural resource values in the watershed.
Mulching operations are expected to be completed in the summer of 2013.
Other recent wildfires in our watersheds include the Fern Lake Fire, which burned
near the Headwaters of the Big Thompson River in Rocky Mountain National
Park during the fall and winter of 2012 and the Galena Fire, which occurred
in March of 2013 in Lory State Park near Horsetooth Reservoir. Based on site
conditions, these fires are not expected to impact the quality of our drinking water
supplies. Utilities’ most recent source water quality reports can be found at
fcgov.com/source-water-monitoring.
To help protect our watersheds, the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE) prepared a screening-level assessment of potential
sources of contaminants. The ratings show our two watersheds have moderate
and moderately low susceptibility for contamination from several potential sources
that may include underground, aboveground and/or leaking storage tanks, existing
and/or abandoned mine sites, permitted wastewater discharge sites, hazardous
waste generators, roads, agricultural lands, forested areas, residential areas,
concentrated animal feeding operations, solid waste sites, septic systems, oil and/or
gas wells and chemical storage sites. View the report at cdphe.state.co.us/wq/sw/
swapreports/swapreports.html.
related substances or if you provide
our water to an infant younger than
six months of age, please consult your
physician or another health expert
regarding precautions you may want
to consider. Visit fcgov.com/fluoride for
more information.
Definitions
AL: Action level – concentration of a contaminant, which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
HAA5: Haloacetic acids.
MCLG: Maximum contaminant level goal – 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 – 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.
MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level – highest level of a disinfectant
allowed in drinking water; the addition of a disinfectant is necessary
to control microbial contaminants.
MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfectant level goal – level of a drinking water
disinfectant, below which there is no known or expected risk to health; MRDLGs
do not reflect the benefits of disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants.
N/A: Not applicable.
NTU: Nephelometric turbidity unit – measure of particles in the water or clarity.
ppb: Parts of contaminant per billion parts of water, µg/L.
ppm: Parts of contaminant per million parts of water, mg/L.
TOC: Total organic carbon.
TT: Treatment technique – required process intended to reduce the level of
a contaminant in drinking water.
TTHM: Total trihalomethanes.
Level
Sample Sites Above Action
Level
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Copper 8/11/2011 to
8/25/2011
0.109 50 ppm 1.3 0 Yes Corrosion of household
Lead 2 50 ppb 15 0 Yes plumbing systems
Raw and Finished Water Ratio
Parameter Year
Lowest
Quarterly
Average
Range Sample
Size
Unit of
Measure
Minimum
Ratio
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Total organic carbon, Utilities 2012
1.43 1.25 to 1.66 12 Ratio 1.00
Yes Naturally present in the environment
Total organic carbon, SCFP 1.25 0.98 to 1.44 12 Yes
Sampled at Entry Point to the Distribution System
Parameter Sample Date Level Found TT Requirement Meet
Standard?
Typical
Sources
Turbidity, Utilities April 2012 Highest single measurement: 0.25 NTU Maximum 1 NTU for any
single measurement
Yes
Soil runoff
Turbidity, SCFP October 2012 Highest single measurement: 0.06 NTU Yes
Turbidity, SCFP
& Utilities All months of 2012 100% of samples were less than 0.3 NTU
In any month, at least
95% of samples must be
less than 0.3 NTU
Yes
Turbidity is a measure of the clarity of the water and is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the filtration system.
Parameter Year Result Sample Size Unit of
Measure MCL MCLG
Meet
Standard? Typical Sources
Barium, Utilities
2012
0.02 1
ppm
2 2 Yes Erosion of natural deposits
Barium, SCFP 0.02 1 2 2 Yes
Fluoride, Utilities 0.86 1 4 4 Yes Water additive promoting strong teeth
Fluoride, SCFP 0.6 1 4 4 Yes
Nitrate 0.06 1 10 10 Yes Run-off from fertilizer and septic tank leachate
Selenium 1.3 1 ppb 50 50 Yes Erosion of natural deposits
Fort Collins Utilities’ Drinking Water Quality Report 2012
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