Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2018

Disclaimer: This report was transcribed by AI and may contain errors. You can view the official source PDF here to verify the data.

Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District (HVPUD) P.O. Box 656, Hoopa, California 95546-0656 (530) 625-4543 | FAX: (530) 625-4112

The Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District (HVPUD) is excited to provide this Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) in accordance with 40 CFR 141. The District takes pride in providing high-quality drinking water to you as the consumer. HVPUD meets the goal and commitment to provide safe drinking water by having qualified personnel who are certified by the California State Water Resources Control Board to operate, maintain, repair and manage our water treatment plants and the distribution within our Valley. This CCR outlines where your drinking water comes from, how it is treated and test result analysis on the quality of Hoopa Valleys' drinking water.

Is my water safe?

This report covers water quality monitoring between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Included are details about where your water comes from, what it contains and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prescribes regulations that limit the number of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants found in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.

We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies. HVPUD safeguards its water supplies and we are proud to report that our system has not exceeded any maximum contaminant levels. In 2018, we analyzed over one hundred (100) tests for contaminants. No chemical contaminants were found above a level higher than the EPA threshold.

The water system is monitored daily for turbidity and chlorine residuals levels. Turbidity is measured to estimate the effectiveness of our treatment process in filtering out harmful organisms. Chlorine residual levels are maintained to ensure that disease-causing microorganisms are not present. Samples are collected each month and sent to North Coast Laboratories to test for coliform bacteria. In the cases where samples indicated the presence of coliform bacteria, we enacted the necessary and required remedial actions and notified the public in the event that the presence of the bacteria was confirmed. It is important to know that coliform bacteria are naturally present in the environment and is not harmful to humans.

Where does my water come from?

Our drinking water originates from two surface sources: The Trinity River and Campbell Creek. The water from these surface sources are processed through a filtration and disinfection system. Water is transported under pressure through a distribution network of buried pipes. Service lines are attached to the main water lines to bring water from the distribution network to your home. Water pressure is provided by pumping water up to storage tanks that store water at higher elevations than the homes they serve. This gravity flow "pushes" water into your home when you open your tap.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, reservoir, 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 and human activity.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial: Such as viruses and bacteria that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agriculture livestock operations and wildlife.
  
• Inorganic: Such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or results from urban storm run-off, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil & gas production, mining or farming.
  
• Pesticides and Herbicides: They come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water run-off and residential uses.
  
• Organic Chemical: Includes synthetic and volatile organic chemicals which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, storm run-off and septic systems.
  
• Radioactive: That can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
  

Water Quality Table

The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires monitoring for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.

Disinfection By-Products

Inorganic Contaminants

Lead and Copper Rule

Radiological Contaminants

Stage 1 DBPR Pre-Treatment

Turbidity

Turbidity is the reduction of clarity in water due to the presence of suspended or colloidal particles. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. HVPUD monitors turbidity because it is an indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.

Microbiological Testing

We are required to test your water regularly for signs of microbial contamination. Positive test results could lead to follow-up investigations called assessments and potentially the issuance of public health advisories. Assessments could lead to required corrective actions.

Significant Deficiencies

Sanitary deficiencies are defects in a water system's infrastructure, design, operation, maintenance, or management that cause, or may cause interruptions to the "multiple barrier" protection system and adversely affect the system's ability to produce safe and reliable drinking water in adequate quantities. The following is a listing of significant deficiencies that have yet to be corrected. HVPUD's public water system is still working to correct these deficiencies and interim milestones are shown, as applicable.

• Deficiency Title: Unacceptable Vents
  • Date Identified: 8/8/2017
    
  • Overall Due Date: 12/1/2019
    
  • Description: Several storage tanks have vents that are not suitable for providing ventilation for potable water storage facilities. These vents are like those often found on grain storage facilities. It is unlikely that there is any practical way to modify them in a manner that would provide protection from contamination for the stored water.
    
  • Corrective Action Plan: These vents should be removed and replaced with vents that are properly screened and designed to meet current sanitary design standards.
    
• Deficiency Title: Unprotected Vent
  • Date Identified: 8/8/2017
    
  • Overall Due Date: 12/1/2019
    
  • Description: The vents on these tanks are not protected from the direct impact of wind and the accompanying dust and debris that wind can carry. As discussed in Deficiency #1, the vents should open downward and have a design that provides protection from the wind.
    
  • Corrective Action Plan: The vents should be modified or replaced to provide the appropriate protection from contamination.
    
• Deficiency Title: Cable Opening in Roof
  • Date Identified: 8/8/2017
    
  • Overall Due Date: 12/1/2019
    
  • Description: Redwood tanks have openings in the roof for the target cables. These openings can allow contaminated rain water, insects, dust and other contaminants to enter the tank.
    
  • Corrective Action Plan: The target installations are of an out-of-date design and difficult to fully correct. However, NSF-certified gasket material can be used to greatly improve the situation. An appropriate sized (perhaps 3" X 3") square-shaped piece of flat gasket material should be cut and split to its center point. The gasket material should then be placed around the cable and cable opening and glued in place. In cases where the target is not functional or needed, the opening in the roof should be sealed.
    
• Deficiency Title: Substandard Hatch
  • Date Identified: 8/8/2017
    
  • Overall Due Date: 12/1/2019
    
  • Description: Redwood and HDPE tanks have manhole access openings that are poorly designed and difficult to maintain. These openings and hatch covers allow dust, insects, spiders and other contaminants to enter the tank. Without exception, inside the hatches, one will find spider webs, spiders, dust, debris and insects. Unless the tank is regularly overflowed, these items will be floating on the surface of the water too.
    
  • Corrective Action Plan: As recommended in Deficiency #1, the redwood tanks should have new manhole access openings and hinged, overlapping, gasketed and locked covers fabricated. Better and more complete sealing should be provided for the HDPE tank hatches. Methods of accomplishing this with gasket material and/or duct tape were discussed with Arnold Davis at the time of the sanitary survey.
    

Water Conservation Tips

Did you know that the average U.S. household uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day or 100 gallons per person per day? Luckily, there are many low-cost and no-cost ways to conserve water. By adopting small changes, it can make a big difference for our environment.

• Take shorter showers- 5-minute showers use 4 to 5 gallons of water compared to up to 50 gallons for a bath.
  
• Shut off water while brushing your teeth, washing your hair and shaving to save up to 500 gallons a month.
  
• Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
  
• Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
  
• Water plants only when necessary.
  
• Fix leaky toilets and faucets. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it or replacing it with a new, more efficient model can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
  
• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it and during the cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.
  
• Teach your kids about water conservation to ensure a future generation that uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month's water bill!
  
• Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.
  

Source Water Protection Tips

Protection of drinking water is everyone's responsibility. You can help protect your community's drinking water source in several ways:

• Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides - they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.
  
• Pick up after your pets.
  
• If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources.
  
• Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.
  
• Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA's Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community, or visit the Watershed Information Network's How to Start a Watershed Team.
  
• Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people "Dump No Waste - Drains to River" or "Protect Your Water." Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.
  

Special Education Statements

Do I need to take special precautions? Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immune-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorder, some elderly and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline 1-800-426-4791.

Additional Information for 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. PWS system is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but 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 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 at 1-800-426-4791 or at https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water

How do I get more information?

You can contact HVPUD by calling the office between the hours of 8:00 am-12:00pm and 1:00 pm-5:00pm Monday through Friday. HVPUD is closed for lunch from 12-1pm.

HVPUD's contact information is as follows: Hoopa Valley Public Utilities District 296 Loop Road P.O. Box 656 Hoopa, CA (530) 625-4543 Office (530) 625-4112 Fax

For more information, please contact the following staff members:

• Linnea Jackson, Interim General Manager: (530) 510-1145 Cell #
  
• Nolan Begay, Water Supervisor: (707) 502-7208 Cell #
  

Unit Definitions