HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018
2018 Port Townsend
Annual Drinking Water Report
Water Sources
The City of Port Townsend’s water supply (System ID # 69000R) is surface water from the Big Quilcene and Little Quilcene
Rivers (Source # 01 and 02) in the northeast corner of the Olympic National Forest. Water is stored in Lords Lake and City
Lake Reservoirs. As with all surface water sources, the Washington Department of Health (DOH) rates the City’s source water
as highly susceptible to contamination. The City and U.S. Forest Service continue to cooperate in a joint effort to manage
and protect the municipal watershed to maintain high quality source water and minimize treatment requirements.
System Operation and Treatment
The City’s membrane filtration water treatment facility is designed to remove potential microbial contaminants,
filtering down to 0.04 microns. Chlorine is added after filtration to provide disinfection and to maintain the required
disinfectant residual throughout the distribution system.
Inadequately treated water
may contain disease-causing
organisms. These organisms
include bacteria, viruses, and
parasites that can cause
symptoms such as, nausea,
cramps, diarrhea, and
associated headaches.
Port Townsend’s water system
is operated and maintained by
trained personnel certified by Washington State. Water
quality sampling results are for
the monitoring performed
January 1 – December 31, 2018.
Drinking water quality
continues to meet or exceed all
federal and state health
standards.
Big Quilcene Diversion Repair
The Big Quilcene River Diversion is a rock-filled timber crib structure constructed in 1928. Over the years, some of the timbers
had decayed and required replacement. In the Summer of 2018, water from the Big Quilcene River was temporarily diverted
around the diversion structure to replace timbers and the face boards as well as repairing the downstream concrete apron.
With repairs complete, the structure is expected to last for another 25-40 years.
Water Use Efficiency Report
Efficient water use benefits the environment, water system operations, and our customers by maintaining more water in
Big Quilcene Diversion Repair
2
the streams and lowering operating costs. Last year an average of 883,470 gallons of water per day was delivered to our 10,289 customers and many visitors. Total City consumption was 363 million gallons with residential consumption averaging
58 gallons per person per day.Of the total consumption, 8.6% or 31.3 million gallons was unaccounted for by customer
meters or other measurement, while the 3-year average loss was 6.1%. Unaccounted for water is lost through such things
as under- registering meters, use of fire hydrants, and leaking underground pipes. Port Townsend has an ongoing leak
detection program to inspect the water system for leaks to reduce unaccounted for water. During 2018, approximately 8.3
miles of distribution system piping were surveyed for leaks.
Potential Contaminants
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 indicate that water poses a health risk. More
information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water
Hotline (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. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses, protozoans, and bacteria, which may come from wildlife, people and
pets visiting the watershed.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from sources such as forestry management.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which can come from
vehicles in the watershed or that result from chlorine combining with naturally occurring organic matter.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno- compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ
transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants 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 (1-800-426-4791).
In order to ensure tap water is safe to drink, the Department of Health and EPA prescribe regulations that limit the amount
of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the
Washington Department of Agriculture regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. While the City tests for more than eighty different contaminants, the substances
listed in the following tables are the only ones detected in our drinking water. Sampling for certain contaminants occurs less
than once per year because concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year.
All data shown were collected during the last calendar year unless otherwise noted in the tables.
Lead & Drinking Water
Lead does not commonly occur in source water but may come from corrosion of building plumbing and water fixtures. The
City of Port Townsend did not use lead service lines, however homes built before 1987 were often constructed with copper
pipes and lead based solder. Faucets, valves, and other components made of brass also typically contained a small amount
of lead. Congress banned the use of pipes, solder or flux that were not “lead free” in public water systems or plumbing in
facilities providing water for human consumption in 1986.
In order to determine if water the City serves is causing corrosion of a home’s plumbing and lead leaching, the City has
regularly tested water at a number of houses identified as having copper plumbing with lead-based solder. Since sampling
began in 1992, lead test results have always been below the EPA regulatory action levels.
To minimize the chance of lead exposure, it is recommended to flush faucets when they have gone unused for more than
a few hours. It takes time for lead to dissolve in water, so the first water drawn from the tap in the morning or after a long
period of non-use can contain higher levels of lead. Flushing clears standing water from your plumbing fixtures and home
service lines to ensure you are getting drinking water from the water distribution mains, where lead is not likely to be
present. Let the water run from the tap until it is noticeably colder (this may take a minute or two) before using it for
cooking or drinking. Remember to flush any faucet used for drinking after long periods of non-use. Lead leaches more easily
into hot water than cold water so use only cold water for cooking or drinking.
3
Residential Testing
MCL
MCLG 90th
Percentile
Number of
Samples Exceeding AL
Year
Sampled
Meets
Standards
Typical Source of
Contaminant
Copper (ppm)
AL=1.3
0
0.71
0 of 30
2016
Yes Corrosion of household
plumbing systems
Lead (ppb)
AL=15
0
6
2 of 30
2016
Yes Corrosion of household
plumbing systems
• 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. Port Townsend is responsible for providing high quality drinking water
but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. 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.
• Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the
action level over a relatively short period of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people
who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or
kidney damage. People with Wilson’s disease should consult their personal doctor.
Port Townsend Annual Water Quality Analysis
Microbiological
Constituents MCL MCLG Range of
Detections Testing Frequency Meets
Standards
Typical Source of
Contaminant
Turbidity (NTU) TT 0 0.010-0.934 Continuous Yes Soil runoff
• Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of
water quality. High turbidity can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants.
Disinfection
Constituents
MCL MCLG Range of
Detections
Testing Frequency Meets
Standards Typical Source of
Contaminant
Chlorine (ppm) MRDL=4 MRDLG=4 0.21-1.95 Continuous Yes Water additive used to
control microbes
Haloacetic Acids
(HAAs) (ppb)
60 NA
15.3-46.5
Quarterly
Yes
By-product of drinking
water
chlorination
Total Organic
Carbon (ppm) TT NA ND-1.54 Quarterly NA Naturally present in the
environment
Total
Trihalomethanes
(TTHMs) (ppb)
80 NA 19.3-61.0 Quarterly Yes
By-product of drinking
water
chlorination
• Chlorine is used for microbiological disinfection of the drinking water. Some people who use water
containing chlorine well in excess of the MRDL could experience irritating effects to their eyes and
4
nose. Some people who drink water containing chlorine well in excess of the MRDL could experience
stomach discomfort.
• Total organic carbon (TOC) has no health effects. However, total organic carbon provides a medium for
the formation of disinfection byproducts. These byproducts include trihalomethanes (THMs) and
haloacetic acids (HAAs). Drinking water containing these byproducts in excess of the MCL may lead to
adverse health effects, liver or kidney problems, or nervous system effects and may lead to an increased
risk of getting cancer.
• Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may
experience problems with liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of
getting cancer.
• Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have
an increased risk of getting cancer.
Inorganic
Constituents
(Source Water)
MCL
MCLG
Port
Townsend
Water
Range of
Detections
Year
Sampled
Meets
Standards
Typical Source of
Contaminant
Barium (ppm) 2 2 0.003 One sample 2013 Yes Erosion of natural
deposits
• Some people who drink water containing barium in excess of the MCL over many years could experience
an increase in their blood pressure.
Definitions
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, when exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements which a water system must follow.
Lead and Copper 90th Percentile: Out of every 10 homes sampled, 9 were at or below this level.
Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA): Highest quarterly average of four samples taken at four sampling
locations.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The 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.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is
convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): 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.
NA: Not Applicable ND: Not Detected or below State Reporting Limit.
NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units - a measure of the cloudiness of the water.
ppb: Parts per billion or micrograms per liter (µg/L).
ppm: Parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L).
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Public Comment
The public is invited to participate in decisions that affect drinking water through comment to the Port Townsend City
Council. Information about scheduled meetings is available through the City Administration Office (379-5047) or via the
City’s web site: https://cityofpt.us/calendar. If you have any additional questions about the drinking water or would like a
complete list of substances for which we test, please call Ian Jablonski at the Port Townsend Department of Water
Quality (360-379-5001). Information is also available on the City’s web site: http://www.cityofpt.us/Water/