Los Angeles Ca Water Quality Reports 2011
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2011 Drinking Water Quality Report Quality in Every Drop James B. McDaniel Senior Assistant General Manager - Water Dr. Pankaj Parekh Director of Water Quality or over 100 years, LADWP years. Thanks to a recently approved Long-term investments in water has been the steward of adjustment to our water rates, we can conservation, stormwater capture, our City’s water system and ensure funding for several of these water recycling, and groundwater Fsupply. It’s a responsibility critical water quality projects. Approved cleanup will reduce our reliance we take very seriously. Every day, we on February 1, 2012, the 35-cent per on imported water and will provide import raw water, purify it and deliver billing unit increase to water rates, greater stability in the price of it to your tap 24-hours a day—all for discussed later in this report, will water for the future. Investments less than a penny per gallon. It’s our provide much-needed funding for major to develop local water supplies and duty to maintain the value of this water quality investments. uphold water quality, in addition to precious resource, and to comply with As we continue to uphold the safety needed investments in replacing increasingly stringent state and federal and quality of LA’s drinking water, aging pipeline, will enable LADWP to water quality mandates that protect LADWP is also working to make it more maintain Los Angeles’ water system every drop of the water we deliver. sustainable and protect its affordability. and ensure the availability and affordability of clean, reliable drinking In 2011, every drop of the more than water for future generations. These 200 billion gallons of water that It’s our duty to maintain efforts will ensure that LADWP can LADWP delivered to over 4 million the value of this precious continue to provide reliable high quality residents met or surpassed all health- resource, and to comply water at an affordable price for another based drinking water standards. To 100 years. maintain such a high level of water with increasingly quality, LADWP collected over 25,000 stringent state and water samples across the city, and Table of Contents performed more than 240,000 water federal water quality quality tests—not just for regulation mandates that protect Quality in Every Drop 2 compliance, but also for research every drop of the water Expanding Use of 3 and operational improvements. Chloramine Throughout the year, we tested for we deliver. over 200 different contaminants, Water Treatment 3 including both regulated contaminants, The amount of water imported has Processes such as arsenic, chromium, lead, and rapidly increased throughout the years, Water Quality News & 4 disinfection by-products, as well as accounting for more than 80% of our unregulated contaminants of interest water supply today. Changing climate Updates such as sodium and boron. conditions and regulatory restrictions City Water Sources 6 have severely limited these imported 2011 Water Quality 8 To continue to comply with newer more sources and are driving costs up. To stringent water quality regulations into protect our customers from rising Monitoring Results the future, LADWP is undertaking the costs of imported water, LADWP is Beyond Water Quality 14 most significant capital investments aggressively working on developing our in water quality history, totaling $1.1 local water supply. Contact Information 15 billion in capital costs in the next five 2 | 2011 Drinking Water Quality Report Water Treatment Processes Screening Fluoridation Ozonation Rapid Mixing Flocculation Filtration UV Disinfection* Chloramination* Fluoride Unfiltered Water UV Rays Chlorine *Ammonia Ozone Chemicals + Gravel Anthracite Coal Filtered Water Ozone Oxygen Backwash Water Ponds Recirculated Backwash Water *In Process 2014 Backwash Water Surface Water Treatment Groundwater Treatment of disinfection and does not have a LADWP water comes from four very The City’s vast groundwater supply chlorinous odor. different water sources—three are from in the San Fernando and Central surface water sources like lakes and Basins are generally clean. LADWP A new drinking water regulation that rivers, and the other is groundwater pumps from the clean parts of the further reduces the allowable level from local wells and springs. The basins and disinfects this groundwater of disinfection by-products will take taste and appearance of surface water with chlorine as a safeguard against effect April 2012. In order to comply can vary seasonally and groundwater microorganisms. In December, 2009, with the new regulation, LADWP must generally contains more minerals. the federal Ground Water Rule went complete construction of critical All these factors make for different into effect. This regulation now facilities before a complete change tasting water. Despite these variations, requires all water agencies across to chloramine can happen. The LADWP water meets all drinking water the country to disinfect groundwater LADWP entered into a Compliance standards for health and aesthetics. sources, a standard practice that Agreement (Agreement) with the LADWP has had for decades. Because California Department of Public All water coming from the Los Angeles of man-made contaminants found in Health (CDPH) that allows us to Aqueducts, the California Aqueduct San Fernando Valley groundwater complete the necessary construction (a.k.a. State Water Project), and the wells, LADWP continuously monitors projects while allowing us to stay Colorado River Aqueduct is filtered and ensures that all well water meets in compliance. While most of the and treated to ensure a safe drinking water quality standards and results are distribution system meets the new water supply. At the Los Angeles far below the maximum contaminant compliance requirements, there Aqueduct Filtration Plant, water is levels permitted by federal or state are some areas that may not on a treated as follows: regulations. LADWP is formulating a consistent basis without the use of comprehensive long term groundwater chloramine. To obtain the Agreement, Water flows into the filtration plant by treatment plan for the San Fernando LADWP demonstrated to CDPH and gravity and travels through screens Basin that will allow us to extract more US Environmental Protection Agency to remove environmental debris such water and treat it so we can safely (USEPA) that compliance with the as twigs and dead leaves. Ozone, a increase our local supply of water. new requirement would be achievable super-charged oxygen molecule and a within two additional years and that powerful disinfecting agent is injected Expanding Use of Chloramine with the time extension further public into the water to destroy bacteria and LADWP continually strives to improve health protection from waterborne other impurities that affect taste, water quality. In an ongoing effort to diseases caused by microorganisms odor and color. Treatment chemicals reduce the level of disinfection by- such as Cryptosporidium and viruses are quickly dispersed into the water products in drinking water, LADWP will be provided. For more information to make fine particles called floc. A is gradually expanding the use of on the new Disinfection By-Products six-foot-deep filter (crushed coal over monochloramine (also known as regulation, please turn to page 4 of gravel) removes the floc and previously chloramine) to provide the necessary this report. added chemicals. Chlorine added protection to water as it travels during the final step ensures lasting through miles of pipe to reach your tap. Customers in the Harbor area of the disinfection and protects the water as While both chlorine and chloramine City have received water treated with it travels through the City’s distribution are effective killers of bacteria and chloramine for more than 25 years with system to your tap. Fluoride is other microorganisms, chloramine complete satisfaction. Customers in optimized to promote oral health by lasts longer, forms fewer byproducts Eastern Los Angeles and the Sunland- strengthening tooth enamel. 2011 Drinking Water Quality Report | 3 Tujunga areas also receive water treated tanks, or aquaria should also make with chloramine and have reported necessary adjustments in water improved taste. quality treatment, as both chlorine and chloramine are toxic to fish. Since chlorine and chloramine are different chemicals, adjustments to Complete expansion to chloramine will existing treatment must be made for continue for a few more years but should certain types of water uses. Operators of be completed by early 2014. Meanwhile, kidney dialysis machines should monitor all LADWP customers should expect to their equipment more frequently for receive either type of disinfectant in the both “free” and “total” chlorine. The water at any time. For more information Southern California Renal Disease on chloramine please visit www.ladwp. Council supports this recommendation. com, or call Water Quality Customer Customers who maintain fish ponds, Service at (213) 367-3182. What determines the cost of tap water? 1) The cost of transporting raw water to Los Angeles 2) Treating and cleaning the water Water Quality News & Updates to make it drinkable, and New Disinfection By- a system-wide reduction of DBPs 3) Delivering the clean water to Products Regulation levels in the drinking water. LADWP’s your tap. The latest drinking water standard strategy to achieve compliance is the for disinfection by-products (DBPs) is expansion of the use of chloramine. the Stage 2 Disinfectants/Disinfection