Springfield Utility Board’s Annual Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report for 2010

The city of Springfield grew up between two

beautiful rivers, the McKenzie and Willamette.

But don’t be fooled. The real water workhorse is

groundwater, with more than 3.7 billion gallons

per year pumped up from a vast aquifer that sits

under our homes and roads and businesses.

In fact, fully 90 percent of the water we use every

day for drinking, washing, irrigating and flush-

ing, comes from 34 wells scattered throughout

Springfield, and about 10 percent supplied from

the Middle Fork Willamette River.

With so much of our water wealth residing just

a few feet below our feet, keeping groundwater

clean and healthful requires special attention –

from businesses, residents and utilities.

How much do you know about groundwater?

Read up on the particulars inside this annual

report, which provides information on the qual-

ity of water delivered to your home. Then take

our quiz and send it back to SUB. We’ll put all

returned entries into a drawing for five $20 SUB

gift certificates, which you can apply to your

SUB bill!

And since every annual report needs an executive

summary, here’s ours: Springfield’s water meets

or exceeds all federal and state guidelines for

water quality.

So turn the page to learn more about the particu-

lars of your water, where it comes from and how

to protect it. Because in Springfield, we’re lucky

to be surrounded by water that’s beautiful and

functional. And it will take all of us to keep it

that way.

Springfield:“The City Between Two Rivers” gets most of its water from under the ground

Groundwater Out of sight, never out of mind

Did you know that of all the water in the world, less than one percent

is available for drinking?

If you’re like most, the first sources of fresh water that come to mind

are those we can see – lakes and rivers, streams and springs. But they’re

just a drop in the bucket compared to groundwater, which provides the

majority of our planet’s drinking water.

In fact, more than 75 percent of Oregon residents rely on groundwater

sources, including everyone in Springfield.

So what is this important water resource?

Groundwater is any precipitation that soaks into the soil to become

part of an aquifer, which is a conglomeration of water-filled layers of

sand, clay, gravel and cracked rock. As water moves downward to fill

these layers, soil and rock act as natural filters, purifying the water.

But those natural filters can be easily overwhelmed by human activity.

Consider: just one gallon of spilled gasoline can contaminate one mil-

lion gallons of water!

Protecting groundwater is mostly common sense, and just takes a little

thought and planning.

So, what do you do?

DO use secondary containment for your stored household chemicals.

That’s a fancy way of saying store them in a plastic bucket. If paint

thinner or gasoline or pesticides leak from their bottles or bags, they’ll

get caught in that container before they can spill onto the ground and

seep into the water supply.

DO use a light hand when applying fertilizer and pesticides to your

garden. If it goes on the ground, eventually it ends up in the ground-

water.

DO recycle your motor oil by taking it to the Household Hazardous

Waste Collection Center. Call 541-682-4120 for hours and directions.

DO avoid the use of chlorinated solvents, such as methylene chloride,

which pose particularly high risks to the aquifer. This chemical shows

up commonly in paint strippers and degreasers and in some aerosols.

If you have a septic system, DO keep it in good repair. Poorly main-

tained septic systems can contaminate groundwater.

DO know that what you do, every day, is repeated by 50,000 of your

neighbors. That cumulative impact can have a huge impact on our

water supply!

Drinking water (even bottled water) may contain small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. For more information about contaminants and the potential health effects, call the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. About three quar-ters of Springfield’s drinking water is provided by groundwater wells and the other one quarter is provided by a blend of river and well water that is filtered.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:• Inorganics, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban

stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

• Microbial, such as viruses, and bacteria which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic sys-tems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum productions, and can also come from gas sta-tions, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.

• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses.

• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

SPECIAL NOTICES:To ensure safe drinking water, EPA regulates the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration establishes limits for contaminants in bottled water to provide the same protection for public health.

Some people may be more vulnerable than others to contaminants in drinking water. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons having under-gone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, infants and some elderly people can be particularly 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 Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at the number listed in this report.

CONCERNING LEAD IN YOUR HOME’S WATER: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. The Springfield Utility Board is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing compo-nents. 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 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Health Information for SUB Customers

Adjusting the balanceThe drinking water supplied to Springfield homes is of the highest qual-

ity and exceeds all drinking water standards. However, plumbing and

piping inside homes does vary, and some may contain lead or copper. If

those pipes corrode, metals can enter a home’s water supply.

If these metals are detected at homes in larger communities, federal and

state water quality rules require that the pH of all water in the system be

adjusted to reduce the potential for corrosion in household plumbing.

Because SUB’s testing program has detected small amounts of lead and

copper in certain older homes, SUB will now take this step by raising

the pH of its source water.

To accomplish this, next year SUB will begin treating water from its

Willamette Slow Sand Treatment Facility by aerating the water, a pro-

cess that raises pH. If required, a small amount of sodium hydroxide

will also be added, another way of raising pH. Treatment of water from

the Thurston and Weyco wellfields is also planned, and slated to begin

in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

If you are concerned about lead in your home’s plumbing, there are sev-

eral actions you can take:

• Have your tap water tested by a state certified water lab. Find

these labs under “Water Analysis” in the yellow pages of your

phone book, or you can visit: http://public.health.oregon.gov/

HealthyEnvironments/DrinkingWater/documents/lab/rpt_Public_

Labs.pdf

• In the morning, or after several hours of non-use, let your tap

water run for about two minutes before using. If metals from your

pipes have dissolved into the water, this will help flush them away.

Remember, boiling water doesn’t remove metals.

• Don’t use the hot water tap for cooking, drinking or mixing baby

formula. Always start with cold water.

For more information about lead in water: http://water.epa.gov/drink/

info/lead/index.cfm

1. The best way to dispose of used motor oil is: A. Collect the oil and pour it down the storm drain B. Bury the oil in your backyard C. Collect the oil and take it to an oil recycling center D. In the dumpster or trash receptacle

2. Which of the following is not a potential source of methylene chloride: A. Paint strippers B. Aerosols C. Degreasers D. Fertilizers

3. What is the term for water beneath the earth’s surface?

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4. What percent of Oregonians are at least partially dependent on ground-water for their drinking water? A. 25% B. 50% C. 75% D. 95%

5. What percent of the world’s water is available for drinking? A. 28% B. 97% C. Less than 1% D. 50%

6. How many gallons of water does the average person in the United States use daily? A. 200 gallons B. 100 gallons C. 50 gallons D. 25 gallons

7. Springfield’s groundwater is pumped via a system of ____ wells.

8. Which of the following can con-taminate groundwater? A. Leaky household chemicals B. Excess fertilizers and pesticides C. Poorly maintained septic systems D. All of the above

9. SUB pumps how many gallons of groundwater to serve Springfield each year? A. One million B. One hundred million C. One billion D. More than 3.5 billion

10. The source of Springfield’s drink-ing water is: A. 10% wells, 90% McKenzie River B. 50% wells, 50% Coast Fork Willamette River C. 50% wells, 50% Middle Fork Willamette River D. 90% wells, 10% Middle Fork Willamette River

11. True or false? Springfield’s drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and state standards

Name:

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Address:

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Phone number:

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Answers at the bottom of the page. All returned entries will be entered into a drawing for one of five $20 SUB gift certificates, applicable towards your SUB bill. Entries must be received by May 31, 2011. Winners will be notified by phone. Return entries with your SUB bill or mail to SUB, PO Box 300, Springfield, OR 97477

Take the Groundwater quiz!

Quiz answers: 1. C; 2. D; 3. Groundwater; 4. C; 5. C; 6. B; 7. 34; 8. D; 9. D; 10. D; 11. True!

2010 Springfield Utility Board Consumer Confidence Report Data

Special NoticesA Source Water Assessment that evaluates risks to groundwater and surface water has been completed as part of Springfield’s Drinking Water Protection Plan. The plan was adopted May 17, 1999, and revised October 7, 2002. Copies may be reviewed or purchased for the cost of reproduction at the Springfield Public Library, Springfield Planning Services Division, Rainbow Water District or SUB’s Water Service Center.

For more information on water issuesLearn more about water issues by attending SUB Board meetings, volunteering to help with pollution prevention projects, or by serving on a Customer Advisory Committee. If you have questions or need more information, contact:

SUB Water Quality Program Manager (541) 726-2396

Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Drinking Water Program(971) 673-0405

Este reporte contiene información que usted quizas desee tenerlo traducido.

AL or ACTION LEVELS: concentration of a contaminant which, if

exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements a water system must

follow

MCL or MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL: the highest level of

a contaminant allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the

MCLG as feasible using the best available treatment technology

MCLG or 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)

MRDL or Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level: The highest level of

disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence

that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial

contaminants

MRDLG or 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 benefits

of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

n/a: not applicable

ND: not detected

NTU or NEPHELOMETRIC

TURBIDITY UNITS: units of

measure for turbidity

pCi/l: picocuries per liter (a measure

of radioactivity)

PPB or PARTS PER BILLION:

one pound of contaminant per bil-

lion pounds of water

PPM or PARTS PER MILLION:

one pound of contaminant per mil-

lion pounds of water

TT or TREATMENT

TECHNIQUE: a required process

intended to reduce the level of a

contaminant in drinking water

TURBIDITY: a measure of the

cloudiness of water caused by sus-

pended particles

A key to abbreviations and terminology used in the tables:

Additional Water Testing Information: • SUB routinely tests for over 120 inorganic and organic chemical contaminants at each of the util-ity’s five drinking water sources and water distribution system. Only four of these contaminants were detected.

• SUB collects over 1,100 samples to test for microbial contaminants. Only two of these tests were considered unsatisfactory, but all follow-up samples were found satisfactory. Two unsatisfactory samples are not considered a public health threat.

• SUB conducts over 3,000 field water quality tests and continuously monitors Springfield’s drinking water quality.

• Fluoride: There is no detectable fluoride in SUB’s drinking water. There is no naturally-occurring fluoride detected in SUB’s source water and no fluoride is added to Springfield’s drinking water.

• Hardness: SUB’s source water supplies are considered soft. The water hardness in the West System is about 15-25 ppm, the East System hardness is about 25-35 ppm, and the North System hardness is about 55 to 65 ppm.

• pH: The water pH in the West and East Systems is about 6.8-7.0. The North System has a pH range of about 7.1-7.5.

• Sodium: The sodium levels in the West and East Systems range from not detected to 16 ppm. In the North System sodium levels range from about 8 to 22 ppm.

Springfield Utility Board's water quality resultsWater Tests Unit MCL MCLG Year Range System In Source (MRDL) (MRDLG) Tested Lowest Highest Water Compliance?

Inorganics

Arsenic ppb 10 0 2009 ND 4.3 4.3 Yes Naturaldeposits

Copper ppm AL=1.35 0 20085sitesoveractionlevel 1.3 Yes Corrosionofhouseholdplumbing

Lead ppb AL=15.5 0 20083sitesoveractionlevel 6.7 Yes Corrosionofhouseholdplumbing

Nitrate ppm 10 10 2010 1.1 1.3 1.2 Yes Naturaldepositsandfertilizers

Disinfectant

Chlorine ppm 4 4 2010 0.06 0.72 0.51 Yes WateradditiveusedtocontrolmicrobesDisinfection Byproducts

Haloaceticacids ppb 60 0 2010 3.1 10.5 7.1 Yes Byproductofdrinkingwaterdisinfection

TotalTrihalomethanes ppb 80 0 2010 0.7 15 5.94 Yes Byproductofdrinkingwaterdisinfection

Microbiological

TotalColiform n/a 5%ofmonthly 0 2010 n/a n/a 0.3% Yes Naturallypresentintheenvironment samplesarepositive

Turbidity NTU TT=5NTU 0 2010 0.2 0.18 0.06 Yes SoilRunoff TT=95%ofmonthlytests 100% 100% 100% Yes mustbe<1NTU

Radiological

Grossalpha pCi/L 0 15 2009 3 3.3 3.1 Yes Erosionofnaturaldeposits

Radiumcombined pCi/L 0 5 2009 ND 1 1 Yes Erosionofnaturaldeposits

Wholesale water provider Rainbow Water District's water quality resultsInorganics

Nitrate ppm 10 10 2010 1 2 1.3 Yes Naturaldepositsandfertilizers.

Disinfection Byproducts

TotalTrihalomethanes ppb 80 0 2010 1.4 2.2 1.8 Yes Byproductofdrinkingwaterdisinfection

North SystemGroundwater source: Sports Way well

Rainbow Water DistrictWholesale water providerGroundwater sources: Chase, I-5, Q St. and (50%) Weyco wells

East SystemGroundwater sources: Thurston, SP/Maia, and (50%) Weyco wells

West SystemBlended groundwater and surface water: Willamette Slow Sand Treatment Facility

Glenwood Water DistrictWholesale water customer

Springfield Utility Board Water Systems and Sources