By Melanie Schumacher, Associate Manager Soquel Creek Water District
The Soquel Creek Water District is pleased to announce we have completed our 2016 Consumer Confidence/Water Quality Report and it is available on our website at www.soquelcreekwater.org/sites/default/files/documents/Reports/2016wqr.pdf
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) are tasked with establishing drinking water health standards, and water utilities are responsible for ensuring that the drinking water provided to their customers meets these federal and state drinking water standards. In 2016, the District’s water met all established drinking water health standards set by the USEPA and the SWRCB.
Water samples are collected throughout the year and tested at certified laboratories for a variety of constituents, including chemical, radiological, and biological compounds. The District routinely tests for more than 130 different constituents. Water samples are collected from each of our active groundwater wells. While some samples are taken directly from the well, others are collected after the water has gone through treatment processes such as chemical oxidation and mechanical filtration.
We also routinely test our water for the presence of coliform bacteria, an indicator organism that would alert us to possible contaminants in the distribution system. Water samples are collected weekly from designated sample stations dispersed throughout the District. Each sample station location is representative of the water in the surrounding area so that the entire system is being monitoring weekly for this critical indicator organism.
We pump water from several groundwater wells in the Purisima Formation, a series of aquifers that have naturally occurring iron, manganese, and arsenic. We treat this water to reduce these elements before it enters our distribution system. Another aquifer that we use as part of our supply source, the Aromas Red Sands Aquifer, has naturally occurring hexavalent chromium, also known as Chromium 6. In 2016, treatment of Chromium 6 continued at our demonstration scale ion exchange treatment plant.
Our 2016 Consumer Confidence/Water Quality Report is meant to communicate which constituents were detected at or above Detection Limits for purposes of Reporting (DLRs). Compounds that are tested for, but not detected at or above the DLR, are not included in the Report. In addition, the report also lists other compounds of interest to our customers, such as sodium, hardness, and pH, among others.
Every employee and department here at the District plays a significant role in making sure we deliver water that meets each of the health standards by which drinking water is measured.
- Our Board prioritizes the importance of high quality drinking water, including it in our Mission Statement and facilitating the adoption of new technology and treatment processes.
- Our Water Quality Specialists and Engineering Department spends considerable time and energy in analyzing and evaluating water quality characteristics of particular water sources, as well as planning and implementing infrastructure updates.
- Our Water Treatment Operators make sure our water treatment processes are functioning properly so we can achieve water-quality objectives before the water enters the distribution system.
- Our Construction & Maintenance team is committed to maintaining, repairing and improving our distribution mains and service lines so that water quality integrity is maintained while it moves from our sources to your taps.
- Our Customer Service Department is dedicated to investigating customer inquiries which keep the District apprised of customer satisfaction in relation to water quality.
- Our Conservation Department informs and educates our customers of the importance and value of high quality drinking water in our region.
Please take a few minutes to read the 2016 Consumer Confidence/Water Quality Report on our website at: www.soquelcreekwater.org/sites/default/files/documents/Reports/2016wqr.pdf
If you wish to obtain a print copy of the report, please contact Carla James, the District’s Water Quality Program Coordinator, at 831-475-8501 ext. 138, or email [email protected].
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As always, if you have any questions about this month’s topic, our Community Water Plan, or anything else related to Soquel Creek Water District, feel free to contact Melanie Mow Schumacher at [email protected] or 831-475-8501 x153 and visit www.soquelcreekwater.org.