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ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT WATER TESTING PERFORMED IN 2014 PWS ID# 2290023 ---PAGE BREAK--- MEETING THE CHALLENGE WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM? We are once again proud to present to you our annual water quality report. This edition covers all testing completed from January 1 through December 31, 2014. Over the years, we have dedicated ourselves to producing drinking water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards. We continually strive to adopt new and better methods for delivering the best quality drinking water to you. As new challenges to drinking water safety emerge, we remain vigilant to meeting the challenges of source water protection, water conservation, and community education while continuing to serve the needs of all our water users. Please share with us your thoughts about the information in this report. After all, well-informed customers are our best allies. LEAD INFORMATION STATEMENT HEALTH EFFECTS AND WAYS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE 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 City of Moscow 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 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 ([PHONE REDACTED]) or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION 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 and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at [PHONE REDACTED]. Moscow’s drinking water comes from five groundwater sources. Although all the wells are located within the Palouse Basin, Wells #2 and #3 draw water from the basin’s shallow aquifer known as the Wanapum, and Wells and #9 draw water from the deep aquifer known as the Grande Ronde. SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT A Source Water Assessment for the City of Moscow was completed in 2001. The assessment determined that Wells #2 and #3 have overall higher susceptibility risk ratings compared to Wells #8 and The City of Moscow has never had a sample exceed the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for possible contamination. A copy of the Source Water Assessment can be obtained from the State of Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). For more information regarding the assessment, contact Kyle Steele at (208) 883-7133. QUESTIONS? For more information about this report, or for any questions relating to your drinking water, please call one of the following people: Mike Dimmick, Water Production Lead (208) 892-8655 David Richardson, Utility Operations Supervisor (208) 883-7108 Tyler Palmer, Deputy Director – Operations (208) 883-7096 Les MacDonald, Public Works Director (208) 883-7028 Kyle Steele, Environmental Compliance Coordinator (208) 883-7133 FIND THIS WATER QUALITY REPORT, AND MORE, ONLINE Go to www.ci.moscow.id.us/water and check out the links on the left side of the page. You can view current and past Water Quality Reports. Residential Fat, Oil, and Grease (FOG) Reduction Program, Wastewater Treatment Plant FAQ, and Water Conservation Program info are just a few of the pages available, with more to come. Take a look and let us know if there is anything else you would like to know about. ---PAGE BREAK--- SUBSTANCES THAT COULD BE IN WATER To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. 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, in some cases radioactive material, and substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Substances that may be present in source water include: • Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife • Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or may result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming • Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses. • Organic Chemical Contaminants, including and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and may also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems • Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or may be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM The Moscow Water Department has supplied safe drinking water to the residents and businesses of Moscow Idaho since the 1890s. Through an elaborate system of wells, filters, reservoirs and miles of underground infrastructure, and those individuals who manage it all play a vital role toward delivering the precious underground aquifer water to the tap. Conserving this resource has been and will continue to be an important goal for the city. The City of Moscow has had a long standing conservation program, dating back to the 1970s, by supplying effluent reuse water for University of Idaho landscapes. Since that time the program has evolved to include reductions in water use from both commercial and residential customers through the City’s regional management approach, tiered rate structure and water conserving programs. As one of the pumping entities for the Palouse Ground Water Basin, Moscow agreed to the voluntary goals set by the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) in 1992. As an active member of the Palouse Basin Water Summit, Inc., that hosts an annual conference in October, the city continues to work with other communities that share our water source. The year 2004 brought about more additions to conservation efforts, which included the Water Waste Resolution, Irrigation Ordinance, and Water Conservation Study that suggested a tiered rate billing structure, adopted in 2007. To assist and motivate the residents of Moscow to attain their water conservation goals the Water Conservation Program addresses customer water needs at home, at work, and at school. Indoor devices, outdoor devices, the outdoor Wisescape Awards and demonstration garden, booth events and education outreach are some of the available resources. Thanks to the efforts of our community, the City of Moscow’s PBAC goals have been met since 2006. With an ongoing goal of providing safe water to meet the needs of people, the Water Conservation Program is sure to remain a solid support for the stakeholders to be good stewards of our precious resource, water. ---PAGE BREAK--- SAMPLING RESULTS During the past year, we have taken hundreds of water samples in order to identify the presence of any radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic, or organic contaminants. The table below shows only those contaminants that were detected in the water. Although all of the substances listed here are under the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), established by the EPA, we feel it is important that you know exactly what was detected and how much of the substance was present in the water. The state allows us to monitor for certain substances less than once per year because the concentrations of these substances do not change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken. The MCL for beta particles is 4 mrem/year. The U.S. EPA considers 50 pCi/L to be the level of concern for beta particles. Definitions AL Action Level – The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. MCL Maximum Contaminant Level – The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the as feasible using the best available treatment technology. MCLG Maximum Contaminant Level Goal – The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. allow for a margin of safety. MRDL Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level – 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 – The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. NA Not Applicable pCi/L Picocuries per Liter – A measure of radioactivity. ppb Parts per Billion – One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter). ppm Parts per Million – One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter). Substance Typical Source Unit of Measure Year Sampled MCL MCLG Amount Detected Violations MRDL Contaminant Typical Source Unit of Measure Sample Date MRDL Highest Level Detected Running Annual Average Violations Substance Typical Source Unit of Measure Year Sampled MCL MCLG Lowest Level Detected Highest Level Detected Violations Substance Typical Source Unit of Measure Year Sampled AL MCLG Amount Detected (90th %tile) Sites Above AL/ Total Sites Violations Combined Radium-226 and 228 Erosion of natural deposits pCi/L 2013 5 0 0.41 None Chlorine Water additive used to control microbes ppm 4 4 1.7 0.3 None (Total Trihalomethanes) By-product of drinking water chlorination ppb 2013 80 NA 0.4 5.4 None Chromium Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits ppb 2010 100 100 1.21 1.39 None Copper Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives ppm 2012 1.3 1.3 0.635 0/30 None Barium Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits ppm 2010 2 2 0.007 0.17 None Lead Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits ppb 2012 15 0 8 0/30 None Fluoride Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories ppm 2014 4 4 0.3 1.6 None Regulated Substances Copper and Lead Tap water samples were collected for lead and copper analyses from sample sites throughout the community. ---PAGE BREAK--- THINGS THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS DOING The Water Department Team has been busy upgrading water services and maintaining nearly 6,000 water meters and approximately 95 miles of water mains. The department has an on-going fire hydrant replacement program, which targets fire hydrants in need of repairs or upgrades. Twenty hydrants out of the 857 fire hydrants within the water system are scheduled for replacement this year. We are continuing to exercise the City’s 1,791 water main isolation valves to insure the valves work when leaks, line breaks or unplanned emergencies arise. In addition, 15 new isolation valves will be installed in the water distribution system this year; adding these additional valves will help minimize the number of customers without water during emergency “shut downs.” The drilling of the City’s new Well No. 10 will begin this fall as well as upgrades to three water booster stations: Vista, Taylor, and White Avenue boosters. Call Us First If you are unsure if a particular issue is your responsibility as the homeowner or the City’s responsibility, call us first. The City of Moscow Public Works Department provides the following services: • WATER – For water related questions and concerns such as: no water, low pressure, water leaks, or taste and odor concerns, please call (208) 882-3122. • SEWER – For concerns pertaining to sewer overflows and backups, or odors, please call (208) 882-3122. • STREETS – For blocked storm drains, debris, pot holes or traffic light outages, please call (208) 883-7097. The Public Works Department thanks you! WELL PRODUCTION METER REPLACEMENT Over the last year, the Water Department has been replacing the meters that register the amount of water the City’s five wells produce. Staff read these meters each day to determine the amount of water the City produced. Calculating daily production is important for a lot of reasons such as assessing the condition of the well. For example if production declines considerably, we know there may be a problem with the motor or pump. If production increases considerably, there could be a major leak in the system. The City also use these readings for reporting purposes such as our yearly water loss report that evaluates the amount of water that has been produced compared to the amount of water billed for the year. The meters that have been replaced were a propeller style meter that would accumulate iron and sediment over time which would result in the meter spinning faster and giving a false high reading. The new meters contain no moving parts for the iron and sediment to collect on which results in more accurate production data. To ensure consistently accurate production data in the future, the City will send the meters back to the factory for testing and calibration as each well is serviced.