HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Quality Report 2004Water Quality Report for 2004
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
requires each water purveyor in the state provide its
customers with an annual water quality report. The report
gives detailed information about the quality of the water
that we provide to you. We have also included information
about significant current and future activities, and hope you
find this information helpful. If you have any questions
about this report or any other details about your water
utility, please contact us at 512-930-3555.
The demand for water continues to increase
The demand for treated water is growing at a rate of 7% per
year. Peak demand last summer was over 15 million gallons
per day (MGD), or equal to 55% of the current system
capacity. The average daily customer use of water
expressed in gallons per capita per day (gcd) has averaged
160 gcd over the past five years. However, Georgetown
Utility Systems (GUS) must always maintain the necessary
capacity to handle the summer peak.
Conservation rates in effect
The Residential Conservation Water Rates will be in effect
on billings from June 1 through October 31. The increase in
cost during this period is meant to provide incentive to
conserve during the peak demand period. Also, the
additional revenue is used to finance the construction of
water treatment facilities to serve the peak demand.
The conservation rates per 1,000 gallons are:
Use City Outside City
0 – 19 $2.25 $2.60
20 – 29 $3.00 $3.35
30 – 39 $4.50 $4.85
40 or more $6.00 $6.35
Landscape irrigation conservation
The most effective method you can use to conserve water is
to control your use of water for landscape irrigation. It is
the use of water for irrigation that causes the peak demand
in the summer that puts strain on the system and eventually
requires the installation of expensive treatment facilities.
For best results, follow a 5-day watering schedule and
irrigate between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 a.m., with
preference given to the time period when customers will not
be using water for cooking and bathing (8 p.m. to 4 a.m.).
Using the 5-day schedule will promote deep root growth
and make your lawn more drought resistant. Watering
during the late evening and early morning hours also
minimizes the water lost to evaporation. The 5-day
schedule is the same as the City of Austin’s schedule,
and it is provided on our website located at
www.georgetown.org.
Water softener information
The hardness of your water depends upon its source.
Generally, customers living to the west of IH-35 are
served by water from Lake Georgetown with a hardness
of 200 mg/L (11-12 grains/gal). All other areas are
served by the Edwards Aquifer with a hardness of 300
mg/L (17-18 grains/gal).
Irrigation utility expansion
GUS has expanded its service that uses treated effluent
water to irrigate parks and golf courses. The
Georgetown Country Club began using treated effluent
in June 2004. The Cimarron Hills Wastewater
Treatment Plant began operating in October 2004 with
its effluent used to irrigate the Cimarron Hills Golf
Course. The use of treated effluent from the Pecan
Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to begin
later this year to provide irrigation for the Sun City golf
courses.
“ A Safe Place” program enters its 9th year
The “A Safe Place” program was started in 1997 to
provide a point of contact for children who need help in
an emergency. The GUS and Parks Service vehicles and
staff supplement the Police and Fire Department
vehicles by giving children another avenue to seek help.
To learn more about “A Safe Place”, ask a child.
Georgetown’s “A Safe Place” program received the
American Public Power Association’s Community
Service Award in 2003.
Jennings Branch storage tank completed
The construction of a new 1.2 million gallon elevated
storage tank at the far north end of the City’s water
service area is now complete. The tank provides for the
water pressure and storage needs in the northern part of
the service area.
Edwards Aquifer protection program
GUS recently completed its third year of testing for
flaws in the wastewater collection system. The testing,
required by the TCEQ, uses various methods to check
piping and manholes for flaws that allow water to either
enter or exit the system. The first two years of the
testing program have focused on the Dove Springs
2
Wastewater Treatment Plant collection system. The third
year of testing was performed in the Sun City and Oak Crest
areas. The remaining collection system will be tested over
the next five years. Once completed, the system will
undergo continuous testing on a 5-year cycle.
Protect your drinking water
The use of drinking water in many industrial processes
requires the use of a functioning and properly-tested
backflow prevention device. These devices prevent the
inadvertent introduction of hazardous materials into the
drinking water system by preventing flow of the material in
the reverse direction. Each device must be tested at least
annually with the test results reported to GUS. Please call
930-3555 for further information.
Your water meets all state and federal requirements for
safety
Georgetown Utility Systems is dedicated to providing high
quality drinking water. This report provides information
about the City's drinking water. We have included details
about where your water comes from, what it contains, and
how it compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
standards. Last year we conducted more than 500 water
quality tests and never exceeded the safe drinking water
standards established by the EPA. We hope you will find
the report helpful.
Drinking water sources
Your water comes from the Edwards Aquifer and Lake
Georgetown. Source water assessment information is
currently being developed by the TCEQ, and will be
available once the study is completed.
Contaminants in 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 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 can pick up substances resulting from the
presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water before
we treat it include:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria,
which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic
systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
• Turbidity, which has no health effects, can interfere
with disinfection and provide a medium for
microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the
presence of disease-causing organisms
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, can
be naturally occurring or result from urban
stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic
wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining or farming.
• Pesticides & herbicides, which may come from a
variety of sources such as agriculture and
residential use.
• Radioactive contaminants, which are naturally
occurring.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic
and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-
products of industrial processes and petroleum
production, and also can come from gas stations,
urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems.
Special population advisory
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 from their health care
providers. EPA/Center for Disease Control guidelines
on how to reduce the risk of infection by
Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are
available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-
426-4791.
Water quality monitoring
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA
prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain
contaminants in water provided by public water
systems. We treat our water according to the EPA
regulations. Food and Drug Administration regulations
establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which
must provide the same protection for public health.
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre el
agua potable. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda
bien
Water quality data
The table in this report lists all the drinking water contaminants we detected during tests conducted from January 1 through
December 31, 2004, unless otherwise noted. The state requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year
because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Therefore, some of
the data, though representative of the water quality, is more than one year old.
Terms & Abbreviations
• 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 “Maximum Allowed” (MCL) is 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.
• MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - the “Goal” (MCLG) is 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.
• N/A: not applicable
• NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units – measure of the clarity of water
• ND: not-detectable – laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.
• ppm: parts per million or milligrams per liter
• ppb: parts per billion or micrograms per liter
• TT : Treatment Technique – a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Microbiological Contaminants
Constituent MCL MCLG Highest
Measurement
Lowest Monthly % of
samples meeting limits
Violation
(Y or N)
Typical Source of
Contamination
Total Coliform ND N Naturally present in the
environment.
Fecal Coliform ND N Human and animal fecal waste
Turbidity (NTU) TT 0.3 0.21 100 N Soil runoff
Inorganic Contaminants
Constituent MCL MCLG
Highest
Level
Range of
Detection
Sample
Date
Violation
(Y or N)
Typical Source of
Contamination
Barium (ppm)
2 2 0.049 0.0290 -
0.0490
2002-04 N Discharge of drilling wastes;
Discharge from metal
refineries; Erosion of natural
deposits
Fluoride (ppm)
4 4 0.222 0.201 -
0.222
2003-04
N Erosion of natural deposits;
water additive which promotes
strong teeth; Discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum
factories
Nitrate (ppm)
10 10 3.50 0.128 -
3.50
2004
N Runoff from fertilizer use;
Leaching from septic tanks,
sewage; Erosion of natural
deposits
Nickel (ppb)
100 100 2.9 1.0-2.9 2002-04 N Erosion of natural deposits
Chromium (ppb)
100 100 6.0 1.0-6.0 2002-04
N Discharge from steel and pulp
mills; Erosion of natural
deposits
4
Lead and Copper
Constituent Action
Level
90th
Percentile
# of sites
exceeding
Action Level
Violation
(Y or N) Typical Source of Contamination
Copper (ppm) 1.3 0.283 0 N Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural
deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives
Lead (ppb) 15 4.2 0 N Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural
deposits
Disinfection By-Products
Constituent MCL MCLG
Average of All Sampling
Points
Range of
Detected
Levels
Sample
Date Typical Source of Contamination
HAA5 Haloacedic Acids (ppb) 60 0 17.8 0-34.9 2004 By-product of drinking water chlorination
THM Trihalomethanes (ppb) 80 0 30.1 17.0-58.5 2004 By-product of drinking water chlorination
Unregulated Contaminants
Constituent
Average of All
Sampling Points
Range of Detected
Levels Sample Date Typical Source of Contamination
Chloroform (ppb) 9.03 2.3 – 13.6 2004 Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to
determine where certain contaminants occur and
whether it needs to regulate those contaminants
Bromoform (ppb) 3.98 0.0 – 9.0 2004 Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to
determine where certain contaminants occur and
whether it needs to regulate those contaminants
Bromodichloromethane (ppb) 10.25 4.6 – 17.3 2004 Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to
determine where certain contaminants occur and
whether it needs to regulate those contaminants
Dibromochloromethane (ppb) 8.03 3.0 – 23.0 2004 Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to
determine where certain contaminants occur and
whether it needs to regulate those contaminants
Perchlorate (ppb) < 4.0 0 - 4.6 2004 Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to
determine where certain contaminants occur and
whether it needs to regulate those contaminants
The Georgetown Water Company began in 1883, with
Municipal Electricity becoming available in 1911. Georgetown
Public Works, now known as Georgetown Utility Systems
(GUS), has been providing the City of Georgetown and its
citizens with reliable and cost-effective energy, water, and
transportation services for over 122 years.
A world-wide operations & maintenance company
based out of Denver, Colorado, OMI has provided operations
and maintenance management services for the City’s water
treatment plants since 1993. OMI was a Malcolm Baldridge
National Quality Award Winner in 2000.
The new GUS logo conforms to the new City logo,
which was revealed in 2005 to more readily represent the City’s
values and core identity.
This water quality report was prepared by OMI, Inc., and Georgetown Utility Systems. Published May 31, 2005.