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Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 14 Xuan H. 1st Place Overall McMillan Elementary “Heart of Life” ---PAGE BREAK--- Dear Customers: We are pleased to present our annual Water Quality Report for the 2014 calendar year. This report contains information regarding Murray City’s water quality along with other timely information to help protect this important resource. We invite you to take a few minutes and read through our annual Water Quality Report. We hope that you will be able to find something that will help remind you every time you hear water running, what an important resource this is and inspire you to find ways to help protect this valuable resource. The subject I get asked about most frequently right now is our water situation. How is the City going to manage when it has been such a dry winter? In contrast, in the spring of 2011, the biggest concern for the City was water as well, but how to manage the huge amount of runoff from that year’s snowfall. The City works hard to prepare and manage both extremes. Overall, the Wasatch Front is about 60 percent of normal precipitation for this year, but the bright side is that the soil moisture percentages are still high. Because of the very wet fall that helped slow water demands, most of the reservoirs are enjoying a level higher than where they would normally be at this time of year. The snow pack has been low for the past two winters and that is of concern in trying to meet future demands. Murray City is fortunate, unlike other cities in the valley that we do not rely solely on water from yearly snowfall or from reservoirs. Our water is supplied through artesian wells and springs. We actually have eight springs and 20 wells that provide water for our daily use. Although, we will not be hurt by a low snow supply from a single year, it is in the second and third years that our ground water sources begin to show signs of depletion. Low snow pack translates into smaller amounts of water available to melt and seep deep into the ground which recharges our source aquifers. The water we use has been around for centuries and through a natural water cycle, will continue to be available and used for many more years. Murray City has several programs to help residents make changes in their homes and lives to save water. Something everyone can do that is very simple, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, this can save 8 gallons of water per day. Another is updating to more water efficient toilets and shower heads. Here in the City, we have great employees who work hard to provide and protect our drinking water sources and distribution systems. They are skilled professionals who are trained to conduct periodic hazard assessments and inspections to secure that the water levels are where they should be and the presence of contaminates do not pose health risks. These experts work hard to protect and maintain the water infrastructure so it can be counted on in all situations. We keep an updated master plan which includes a prioritized list of projects that will either replace or make improvements to our system. I hope as citizens of Murray City, we will each make efforts to conserve and protect our water on a daily basis. Our water is a valuable and limited resource and we all need to be aware of how we can help to preserve it. Thank you for all you do to help make “Murray, a City without Equal.” Sincerely, Ted Eyre Mayor Murray City Water Department Mayor’s Message ---PAGE BREAK--- Important Phone Numbers Important Phone Numbers Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Frequently Asked Questions Sky J. 2nd Place Overall Grant Elementary “Water Goes Off While Brushing” Water Department Employees 15 Murray water service area population 36,000 Total gallons used in 2014 2,892,991,500 Total acre feet used in 2014 8,877.99 Number of water sources 27 Total Deep Wells 19 Springs 8 Average hadness of water supply 200 mg/L 12 grains/gallon Water service connections 10,063 Total miles of waterlines 197.34 Miles Total fire hydrants 1,850 City owned 1,303 Private owned 547 Water storage capacity (gallons) 12,000,000 ---PAGE BREAK--- Water Efficiency What is Water Efficiency? Water efficiency is the smart use of our water resources through water-saving technologies and simple steps we can all take around the house. Using water efficiently will help ensure reliable water supplies today and for future generations. Save Water, Save Money The average family spends $1,100 per year in water costs, but can save $350 from retrofitting with WaterSense labeled fixtures and ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. Also, when we use water more efficiently, we reduce the need for costly investments in water treatment and delivery systems. Drops to Watts: Save Water, Save Energy It takes a considerable amount of energy to deliver and treat the water you use every day. For example, letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 22 hours. Heating water for bathing, shaving, cooking, and cleaning also requires a lot of energy. Homes with electric water heaters, for example, spend one-quarter of their electric bill just to heat water. With climate change concerns, pervasive droughts, and high energy prices across the country, nearly everyone is looking for ways to conserve resources and cut costs. The good news is that by using a little “water sense” we can all save water, energy, and money. Article from WaterSense® An EPA Partnership Program http://www.epa.gov/watersense/our_water/why_water_efficiency.html Murray City Water Department ---PAGE BREAK--- EPA WaterSense® Rebate Program Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Emily P. 3rd Place Overall Longview Elementary “Save Water it’s in Your Hands” Gibson B. Longview Elementary “Dreaming of Plumbing” ---PAGE BREAK--- Murray City Water Department Did You Know? Deborah D. Horizon Elementary “Fix a Drip” Haley M. Parkside Elementary Water Testing Murray Water Department takes more than 100 samples each month to make sure that your drinking water is safe. We monitor to make sure levels of chlorine and disinfectant bi-products are at safe levels and to check for other dangerous bacteria and viruses. We also monitor many natural contaminants including lead and copper. How to win WaterSense Products Murray City Water would like to see what you know about the EPA’s WaterSense program. By helping us, you could win some great WaterSense labeled products. The survey is only 5 questions and takes a couple of minutes to complete and upon completion you will automatically be entered into the contest. Go to the following web address to enter. Murray City Landscaping Murray City has re-landscaped many of our sites to provide an example of a water-wise landscape. The use of more water wise landscaping at these sites and the installation of rain shut off switches has helped Murray City conserve water at our own properties. ---PAGE BREAK--- Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Cross Connection Control Akiyara N. McMillan Elementary “Rocks Instead of Grass” Jamaaica Q. Liberty Elementary “Save the Rain Forest” Water distribution systems are designed with the intention of the water flowing to the point of use, or from the City’s main to the customer. However, hydraulic conditions within the system may deviate from “normal” conditions, causing water to flow in the opposite direction. This undesirable flow reversal of water is called backflow. Backflow Terms Cross-Connection A cross-connection is an unprotected actual or potential connection between a potable water system used to supply water for drinking purposes and any source or system containing unapproved water or a substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome and potable. By-pass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover devices or other devices through which backflow could occur, shall be considered to be cross-connections. Back Siphonage Back-siphonage is caused by mainline piping failures or drafting due to high demands. For example, it is a condition that can occur when the drinking water system’s pressure drops below that of the fire protection system, drawing the fire protection system water back into the drinking water system. ---PAGE BREAK--- Mayor Ted Eyre Council Members Dave Nicponski D. Blair Camp Jim Brass Diane Turner Brett A. Hales City council meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each Murray City Water Murray City Water Department We are pleased to present Murray City’s 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality of the water and services we deliver to you every day. We are committed to continually making improvements to our water system to ensure that the quality of your water is safe, dependable and properly protected. Murray City obtains its water from springs near Big Cottonwood Canyon along with underground water wells. Murray City routinely monitors for contaminants in our drinking water in accordance with the Federal and State Drinking Water Rules. The following table shows the results of our monitoring for the calendar year of 2014, beginning January 2014 through December 31, 2014. Spencer S. Grant Elementary “Be like an Otter Love Water!” ---PAGE BREAK--- MCL Maximum Contaminant Level MCLG Maximum Contaminant Level Goal MFL Million fiber per liter (measures asbestos) NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units (cloudiness) Cfu Colony forming units (bacterial cell colonies) pci/L Picocuries per liter (radioactive units) ppm Parts per million (mg/l 1, penny in $10,000) ppb Parts per billion (ug/l, 1 penny in $10 million) ppt Parts per trillion (1 penny in $10 trillion) ppq Parts per quadrillion (1 penny in $10 trillion) TT Treatment technique, method UR Unregulated, no EPA standard set ND Non-detected (less than the method can see) SW State waiver (never used or detected) NR Non reportable NE Not established All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of contaminants. It is important to remember that the presence of these contaminants does not necessarily pose a health risk. 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 Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline [PHONE REDACTED]. Key to Table Consumer Confidence Report Annual Drinking Water Quality Report ---PAGE BREAK--- This chart lists the most recent test results for Murray City facilities and indicates the most likely source of contamination. The data is a range for all wells and springs with the lowest and highest levels. Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) is the highest level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Using the best available technology, MCL’s are set as close to the goal as fea sible. Maximum Contaminant Levels Goal (MCLG) is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCGL’s allow for a margin of safety. In addition to the parameters listed in this report, Murray City monitors for many unregulated contaminants. The results are available at the Public Services office. Substance Units MCL MCLG Murray City ND/Low-High Most Likely Source of Contamination PRIMARY INORGANICS-Monitoring required at least every 3 years for groundwater sources Ammonia mg/L NE NE ND to .2 Erosions of natural deposits Arsenic mg/L .010 0 ND to .0029 Erosions of natural deposits Barium mg/L 2 2 .061 to .241 Erosions of natural deposits Copper mg/L 1.3 1.3 ND to .12 Erosions of natural deposits Cyanide mg/L .2 .2 ND to .001 Erosions of natural deposits Fluoride mg/L 4 4 .15 to .34 Erosions of natural deposits Iron mg/L .3 .3 ND to .09 Erosions of natural deposits Lead mg/L .015 0 ND to .011 Erosions of natural deposits Nitrate (as N) mg/L 10 10 ND to 4.2 Excess Fertilization Selenium mg/L .05 .05 .0006 to .0032 Erosions of natural deposits Sodium mg/L NE NE 11.7 to 106 Erosions of natural deposits Sulfate mg/L 500 500 31 to 96.6 Erosions of natural deposits TDS mg/L 2000 NE 180 to 812 Erosions of natural deposits Turbidity NTU 5 .03 .02 to 1.6 Suspended matrial from soil runoff Zinc mg/L 5 5 ND to .013 Erosions of natural deposits Murray City Water Department Murray City Water ---PAGE BREAK--- Substance Units MCL MCLG Murray City ND/Low-High Most Likely Source of Contamination SECONDARY INORGANICS-aesthetic standards Chloride mg/L 250 NE 10 to 210 Erosions of natural deposits Color CU 15 NE 0 to 1 Decaying, naturally-occuring organic material and suspended particles pH 6.5 to 8.5 NE 7 to 7.98 Naturally occurring MICROBIOLOGICAL Total Coliform % positive each month 5% 0.00% 0.00% Human and animal fecal waste, naturally-occuring in the environment. MCL is for compliance. All repeat samples were negative; no violations were issued RADIOLOGICAL Radium 226 pCi/L NE NE 0 to .7 Decay of natural and man made deposits Radium 228 pCi/L NE NE -0.18 to 2.8 Decay of natural and man made deposits Gross-Alpha pCi/L 15.0 15.0 0 to 12.2 Decay of natural and man made deposits UNREGULATED PARAMETERS- monotoring not required Calcium mg/L UR NE 19.4 to 113 Erosion of naturally occuring deposits Hardness, total mg/L UR NE 81 to 463 Erosion of naturally occuring deposits Hardness, grains Grains per Gallon UR NE 4.73 to 27.05 Naturally occurring Magnesium mg/L UR NE 7.8 to 43.8 Erosion of naturally occuring deposits Potassium mg/L UR NE 1.3 to 8.4 Erosion of naturally occuring deposits Silica mg/L UR NE 5.7 to 17.9 Erosion of naturally occuring deposits DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM CONTAMINANTS Chlorine Residual mg/L 4 NE ND to .11 Drinking water disinfectant TTHM ppb 80 0 0 to 1.7 By-product of drinking water disinfection Fluoride ppm 4 4 .5 to .9 Water additive that promotes strong teeth LEAD & COPPER (tested at consumer’s residence) tested every 3 years Copper mg/L 1.3 1.3 .0081 to .427 Corrosion of household plumbing systems Lead mg/L .015 .015 ND to .0048 Corrosion of household plumbing systems Calculated Compliance Numbers from 2013 Copper = 0.234 Lead = 0.0019 VOCs Chloroform ug/L UR NE ND to 3.1 By-product of drinking water disinfection PESTICIDES None Detected Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Consumer Confidence Report ---PAGE BREAK--- Murray City Corporation P.O. Box 57520 Murray, Utah 84157-0520 facebook.com/MurrayCityWaterDepartment twitter.com/MurrayCityWater Madison T. Viewmont Elementary “Don’t take long Showers” This Report has featured the ten winners of our 2014 Fix a Leak Week drawing contest for 4th grade students. Thanks to all those who participated.