City of Santa Rosa 200 - Water System #490009 Why You Receive Water Quality Report this Report A Message from the while acknowledging the harsh realities The federal Environmental Protection Director of Utilities, of the economic downturn. Santa Rosa Agency (EPA) sets regulations on water Miles Ferris is like many other California utilities that quality and ensures you are informed are facing the need to replace aging about your community’s water quality n behalf of through this required annual report. our Utilities infrastructure and maintain our current assets while keeping utility rates as We are mandated to provide certain staff and basic information but we also use the O reasonable as possible. The economy members of the opportunity to share other important has adversely affected the fees we Santa Rosa Board information about your water. This of Public Utilities, collect on new water and wastewater report is printed on 40% post-consumer I am pleased to present our annual connections and increased the number recycled paper. water quality report. This report covers of uncollectable utility bills due to home all testing completed from January foreclosures. The reduction of water usage through December 2010. Our goal is due to conservation and a cool summer to provide excellent customer service last year has also resulted in a significant Radiation Concerns from reduction to rate revenue. along with exceptionally high quality Fukushima Nuclear Plant water to your home or business. The The Santa Rosa Utilities Department has U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made significant strides to overcome our s a result of the (EPA) requires this printed report be current budget shortfall by participating incident _with delivered to you in accordance with in a City furlough equivalent to a 5% A the Fukushima the Consumer Confidence Report Rule. salary reduction, a freeze in most hiring, nuclear plant in Japan, Our primary goal is to provide safe, elimination of selected unfilled and several Environmental reliable services to all our customers temporary positions, and the distinct Protection Agency possibility of significant staffing cuts for (EPA) air monitors have the coming fiscal year. Our governing detected very low levels of radioactive Table of Contents board approved an approach to reduce material in the United States consistent structural fixed costs by eliminating with estimated releases from the Message from Director of Utilities Page positions that do not significantly affect damaged nuclear reactors. The EPA has Nuclear Radiation Concerns Page customer service while continuing stepped up monitoring of precipitation Drinking Water and Your Health Page 2 needed infrastructure capital projects. We and drinking water in response to the Health Related Notice Page 2 are also focusing on restoring our reserves Fukushima events. These detections in that were used to cover our declining air and precipitation were expected, and Monitoring Water Quality Page 3 revenues over the past few years. the levels detected have been far below Monitoring Results Page 4 levels of public-health concern. Water Quality Results Table Page 5 We are making difficult financial decisions while maintaining our obligation to In April 2011, the EPA released RadNet Water-Use Efficiency Page 6 deliver safe, reliable water and wastewater (EPA’s nationwide radiation monitoring Chromium 6 and Perchlorate Page 6 services. With any reductions to the system) results, which include the first Drinking Water Sources Page 7 operating budget we will always consider results for drinking water. Drinking water 0 Ways to Protect Creeks Page 8 our responsibility to you, our customers, samples from two locations, Boise, Idaho and Richland, Washington, showed trace Contact Information Page 8 and our commitment to complying with state and federal regulations. continued on page 8 Special Edition: Water Quality Report Drinking Water and Your Health Notice from the EPA he sources of drinking water (both products of industrial processes and tap water and bottled water) petroleum production, and can also T include rivers, lakes, streams, come from gas stations, urban storm ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. water runoff, agricultural application, As water travels over the surface of the and septic systems. land or through the ground, it dissolves • Radioactive contaminants that can naturally-occurring minerals and, in be naturally-occurring or be the some cases, radioactive material, and result of oil and gas production and can pick up substances resulting from mining activities. the presence of animals or from human activity. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, U.S. EPA and the State Department Contaminants that may be present in of Public Health prescribe regulations that source water include: limit the amount of certain contaminants • Microbial contaminants such as in water provided by public water systems. viruses and bacteria that may come Department regulations also establish from wastewater treatment plants, limits for contaminants in bottled water septic systems, agricultural livestock that provide the same protection for operations and wildlife. public health. 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 Health Related Notice indicate that water poses a health risk. Precautions for Vulnerable More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be Populations obtained by calling the United States EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800- ome people may be more 426-4791. vulnerable to contaminants in S drinking water than the general Drinking water standards are established population. Immuno-compromised by both the state of California Department persons such as those with cancer of Public Health and by the United States undergoing chemotherapy, persons EPA. that have undergone organ transplants, Primary standards are set to protect people with HIV/AIDS or other immune public health from substances in water system disorders, some elderly, and that may be immediately harmful to infants can be particularly at risk from humans or affect their health if consumed infections. These people should seek for long periods of time. The primary advice about drinking water from their • Inorganic contaminants such as salts drinking water standards are defined by health care providers. U.S. EPA/Center and metals that can be naturally- maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for for Disease Control guidelines on occurring or result from urban storm contaminants that affect health along appropriate means to lessen the risk of water runoff, industrial or domestic with their monitoring and reporting infection by Cryptosporidium and other wastewater discharges, oil and gas requirements and surface water microbial contaminants are available production, mining, or farming. treatment requirements. from the U. S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or at their web Secondary standards govern aesthetic • Pesticides and herbicides that may site at: epa.gov/safewater/. come from a variety of sources such qualities of water such as taste, mineral as agriculture, urban storm water content, odor or clarity. These standards runoff, and residential uses. specify limits for substances that may influence consumer acceptance of the • Organic chemical contaminants, water and are not harmful to public including synthetic and volatile health. organic chemicals that are by- 2 Santa Rosa Utilities Update Monitoring Water Quality he United States Environmental oral health, and current issues, here is To participate in decisions Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the Department of Public Health’s web about your water... T California Department of Public site: cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/ Health (agencies that oversee California’s Pages/Fluoridation.aspx. drinking water programs) require water Hardness: Water in the City of Santa Rosa For more information regarding the providers to routinely monitor their water is considered to be moderately hard at City of Santa Rosa water utility, you may supplies and report test results annually. an average level detected of 99.7 ppm attend the City of Santa Rosa Board In addition to the Sonoma County Water or 5.8 grains per gallon. Water that is too of Public Utilities meetings which are Agency’s sampling of over 100 different soft (below 30 ppm) can be corrosive to held every 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the contaminants, the City conducts their plumbing pipes, and water that is too month at 1:30PM: own contaminant testing on our local hard (above 300 ppm) causes scale to supply and monthly routine water form on plumbing fixtures and cooking City of Santa Rosa BPU samples are collected throughout the utensils. Hard water is found in over 85% water distribution system. City Hall Council Chambers of the United States water supplies. 100 Santa Rosa Ave Sampling frequency is based on our Santa Rosa, CA 95404 population and the number of services Water Hardness Scale (707) 543-4200 connected to the water system. The City of (707) 543-3031 TDD Santa Rosa takes over 120 representative samples per month. These samples are less than 1.0 less than 17.1 Soft For meeting dates and agenda call: tested for coliform bacteria (an indicator 1.0 - 3.5 17.1 – 60 Slightly Hard (707) 543-3397 or visit srcity.org/bpu. of contamination) and chlorine residuals 3.5 - 7.0 60 – 120 Moderately Hard (level of disinfection). The City also takes For more information regarding the 7.0 - 10.5 120 – 180 Hard Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), pH samples every sampling day. The over 10.5 over 180 Very Hard results of the samples are sent to the you may attend the SCWA Board California Department of Public Health at meetings, which are held every Tuesday the end of each month. Water Cloudiness: During certain at 8:30AM in conjunction with the periods, the City of Santa Rosa Utilities Sonoma County Board of Supervisors: Certain sampling is required periodically Department receives many calls about by the EPA based on specific rules.