Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant Community Water System (2018)

Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant Community Water System

Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

Is my water safe?

We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking

Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it

compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are committed to providing

you with information because informed customers are our best allies.

Do I need to take special precautions?

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 (Environmental Protection Agency/Center for Disease Control)

guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available

from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).

Where does my water come from?

The Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant water system is owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and is operated by

the Branch of Public Utilities (BPU) of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. The Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant draws

surface water from the Deschutes River just upstream from Dry Creek to supply our customers with water. Raw water from the

DesChutes River is drawn into the plant by gravity where treatment chemicals are then added. Some of the chemicals used are

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH), Activated Carbon (taste and odor), Polymer (coagulant) and Chlorine (disinfectant). Once the

chemicals are added, the treated water then enters the settling basins where the coagulated particles (called floc at this point) are

allowed to settle out and the clarified water is passed to the filters for the final phase of treatment before being pumped to the

distribution system. Once the finished water is collected in a clear well, it is then pumped out of the plant by two 400hp motors at a

rate of approximately 2,800 gallons per minute. There are 1,497 service connections that receive water from the Warm Springs Water

Treatment Plant water system. There are eight tanks totaling 6.75M gallons of potable drinking water storage for distribution. The

Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant water system uses chlorine gas in order to disinfect your drinking water prior to distributing it

for consumption. Disinfection reduces or eliminates illnesses that can be acquired through drinking water. The chlorine gas added to

your drinking water kills any microbes that may be present in source water.

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Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant Community Water System

Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

Source water assessment and its availability

There has not been a source water assessment performed on this system as of 2017. Source water assessments are meant to evaluate

the drinking water source and system for the threat of potential contamination.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

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 Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800426-4791). 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: microbial

contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock

operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or 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 synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and

petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive

contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that

tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water

systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the

same protection for public health.

How can I get involved?

If you have questions about this report or about your drinking water quality, please contact Steve Courtney, Sr. at (541) 553-1472.

You may also stop in to the Branch of Public Utilities offices at 2253 Rehab Street, Warm Springs, Oregon, 97761. Please be sure to

read any notices delivered to your home from the Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant water system. Notices will also be posted at

the Warm Springs Market and Tribal Administration Building.

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. Small changes can make a big difference - try one today and

soon it will become second nature.

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Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

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Take short showers - a 5-minute shower uses 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 and 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.

Cross Connection Control Survey

The purpose of this survey is to determine whether a cross-connection may exist at your home or business. A cross connection is an

unprotected or improper connection to a public water distribution system that may cause contamination or pollution to enter the

system. We are responsible for enforcing cross-connection control regulations and insuring that no contaminants can, under any flow

conditions, enter the distribution system. If you have any of the devices listed below please contact us so that we can discuss the issue,

and if needed, survey your connection and assist you in isolating it if that is necessary.

 Boiler/Radiant heater (water heaters not included)

 Underground lawn sprinkler system

 Pool or hot tub (whirlpool tubs not included)

 Additional source(s) of water on the property

 Decorative pond

 Watering trough

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.

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Pick up after your pets.

If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting

to a public water system.

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.

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. The Warm Springs

Water Treatment Plant Community Water 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 or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Water Quality Data Table

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided

by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this

report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of

drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our

drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection

of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low

levels. 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 us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not

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Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our

data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be

familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the tables.

Lead

and

Copper

Date

Sampled

MCLG

Action

Level

(AL)

90th

Percentile

# Sites

Over

AL

Units

Violation

Likely Source of Contamination

Copper

09/13/2016

1.3

1.3

0.055

0

ppm

N

Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from

wood preservatives; Corrosion of household

plumbing systems.

Disinfectants

and Disinfection

By-Products

Collection

Date

Highest

Level

Detected

Range of

Levels

Detected

MCLG

MCL

Units

Violation

Chlorine

2017

0.4

0.3 - 0.4

MRDLG = 4

MRDL = 4

ppm

N

Haloacetic Acids

(HAA5)

2017

52

16.7 – 51.9

No goal for

the total

60

ppb

N

Total

Trihalomethanes

2017

63

13.7 – 62.9

No goal for

the total

80

ppb

N

Inorganic

Contaminants

Collection

Date

Highest

Level

Detected

Range of

Levels

Detected

MCLG

MCL

Units

Violation

Fluoride

06/12/2012

0.202

0.202 - 0.202

4

1.0

ppm

N

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Likely Source of

Contamination

Water additive used

to control microbes

By-product of

drinking water

disinfection

By-product of

drinking water

disinfection

Likely Source of

Contamination

Erosion of natural deposits;

Water additive which

Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant Community Water System

Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

promotes strong teeth;

discharge from fertilizer and

aluminum factories.

Radioactive

Contaminants

Collection

Date

Highest

Level

Detected

Range of

Levels

Detected

MCLG

MCL

Units

Violation

Likely Source of

Contamination

Erosion of natural deposits.

Combined

09/15/2015

0.974

0.974 – 0.974

0

5

pCi/L

N

Radium 226/228

Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the highest Level Detected because some results may be part of an

evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future.

Consumer Confidence Rule

Violation Type

CCR

Adequacy/Availability/Content

Violation Begin

10/01/2016

Violation End

01/03/2017

CCR Report

07/01/2016

01/03/2017

CCR Report

07/01/2017

09/11/2017

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Violation Explanation

We failed to provide to you, our drinking water

customers, an annual report that adequately informed you

about the quality of our drinking water and the risks from

exposure to contaminants detected in our drinking water.

We failed to provide to you, our drinking water

customers, an annual report that informs you about the

quality of our drinking water and characterizes the risks

from exposure to contaminants detected in our drinking

water.

We failed to provide to you, our drinking water

customers, an annual report that informs you about the

quality of our drinking water and characterizes the risks

from exposure to contaminants detected in our drinking

Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant Community Water System

Annual Water Quality Report for 2017

water.

The Consumer Confidence Rule requires community water systems to prepare and provide to their customers annual consumer

confidence reports on the quality of the water delivered by the systems.

Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the highest Level Detected because some results may be part of an

evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future.

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)

Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of the MCL over many years may have an increased risk of getting

cancer.

Violation Type

Monitoring, Routine (DBP),

Major

Violation Begin

01/01/2015

Violation End

08/31/2017

Violation Explanation

We failed to test our drinking water for the contaminant and

period indicated. Because of this failure, we cannot be sure of

the quality of our drinking water during the period indicated.

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their

liver, kidneys or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Violation Type

Monitoring, Routine (DBP),

Major

Violation Begin

01/01/2015

Violation End

08/31/2017

Violation Explanation

We failed to test our drinking water for the contaminant and

period indicated. Because of this failure, we cannot be sure of

the quality of our drinking water during the period indicated.

Significant Deficiencies

The Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant system is not currently in compliance with EPA standards. A Sanitary Survey was

conducted by Indian Health Services to inspect the Water Treatment Plant Water System on January 27, 2015. A report dated August

24, 2015 was sent to the Water Treatment Plant water system informing them of the significant deficiencies identified during the

Sanitary Survey and requesting a Corrective Action Plan to outline how the Water Treatment Plant water system will fix the identified

deficiencies. The following significant deficiencies have not been addressed at the time of this report:

1. Improper Turbidity Calibration

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2. Improper Instrumentation or Process Controls.

3. Improper Contact Time before First Customer.

4. Sedimentation Basin Needs Settled Solids Removed.

5. Corrosion on Tank Vent Stack Welded Area in Need or Repair.

6. Septic System has failed and Surfacing Wastewater is Flowing toward Backwash Basins and River.

7. River Intake Air Scour System Inoperative.

The Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant water system has failed to address these issues. They have not provided a Corrective Action

Plan (CAP) to EPA outlining their plan to address these issues. The Water Treatment Plant water system has not provided a plan or

schedule to EPA to correct these issues. We are currently working with a consultant to get the CAP turned in to EPA.

Unit Descriptions

Term

Definition

ppm

ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

ppb

ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L)

pCi/L

pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)

MFL

MFL: million fibers per liter, used to measure asbestos concentration

mrem

millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body).

NA

NA: not applicable

ND

ND: Not detected

NR

NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.

Important Drinking Water Definitions

Term

Definition

AL

AL: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements

which a water system must follow.

ALG

ALG: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.

ALG’s allow for a margin of safety.

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Unit Descriptions

Avg

Regulatory compliance with some MCL’s are based on running annual average of monthly samples

Level 1

Assessment

A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why

total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Level 2

Assessment

A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if

possible) why an E. Coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our

water system on multiple occasions.

MCLG

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: 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.

MCL

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: 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.

TT

TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Variances and

Exemptions

Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain

conditions.

MRDLG

MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. 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.

MRDL

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.

MNR

MNR: Monitored Not Regulated

MPL

MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level

Definitions:

Action Level Goal (ALG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.

ALG’s allow for a margin of safety.

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Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system

must follow.

For more information please contact:

Travis Wells, Branch of Public Utilities General Manager at (541) 553-3246

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