Spanish (Espanol)
Este informe
contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua
potable. Por favor lea este informe o comuniquese con alguien
que pueda traducir la informacion.
Is my
water safe?
We are pleased
to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and
state requirements. The purity of our water is of the degree
that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not require
Deschutes Valley Water District to test for every contaminant
every year. A waiver granted by the Oregon Health Division
(OHD) in 1996, stipulated the frequency and elements to be
tested. Last year, we conducted tests for over 80 contaminants. We only
detected 3 of those contaminants, and none of these were at a
level higher than the EPA allows. This report is a
snapshot of last year's water quality. Included are details
about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it
compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. 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/Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) 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 Opal
Springs aquifer supplies the domestic water for Deschutes Valley
Water District's approximately 4,000 services. The artesian
spring is located 5 miles Southwest of Culver at the bottom of
the 850 foot deep Crooked River canyon, less than 150 feet from
the river. The artesian wells are located on the East side
of the canyon ranging from 300 to 600 feet South of Opal
Springs.
Opal Springs
flows approximately 108,000 gallons per minute at 53.8 degrees
Fahrenheit with no seasonal variation. There has been no
detectable change in flow, temperature, or pH since the spring
was first tested in 1925. Well # 1 is 750 feet deep and
produces 3,750 gallons per minute. Well #2 is 513 feet
deep and produces 5,360 gallons per minute. Well #3 is 661
feet deep and produces 4,000 gallons per minute. It has
been determined that the wells and Opal Springs are fed from the
same aquifer.
Source water assessment and its
availability
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
(800-426-4791). Currently, there is no filtration or treatment
of Opal Springs of any kind (nor is any needed). Historic
and continuing water quality analysis indicates an absence of
man-made contaminants in the captured Opal Springs water.
The source is well protected because it is hundreds of feet
below the surface and under pressure. It is unlikely that
contaminants introduced on the surface would reach the deep
aquifer. The spring and wells have yet to show radiation
from the W.W.II nuclear testing placing the age of the water
from Opal Springs at 50 years old minimum. According to
“U.S.G.S. Report 97-197,”studies show the age of the water could
be one to four thousand years old. An analysis for waterborne
particulates shows conclusively that Opal Springs is a ground
water source, not influenced by surface water.
Hardness of
water is caused by the presence of magnesium and calcium.
Excessive hardness is undesirable because it causes difficulties
when doing laundry or washing dishes. Domestic water
should have hardness less than 85 mg/l. The District's
water tests at 42 mg/l and is considered very soft.
The pH of water
is measured on a scale of 1 to 14. A low reading would
indicate acidic water (which is corrosive) while a high reading
connotes basic water. Neutral water (neither acidic nor
basic) would have a reading of 7. The District's pH tested at
7.67 which means our water is just a little basic.
How can I get involved?
If you have any
questions about this report or concerning your utility, please
contact General Manager, Edson Pugh, at (541) 475-3849. We want
our valued customers to be informed about their water utility.
If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly
scheduled Board Meetings. They are held on the second
Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the District office at 881 SW
Culver Hwy, Madras, Oregon.
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.
· 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
http://www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.
Additional Information for Lead
There is no
detectable lead or copper in our water source; however, these
metals can enter the drinking water supply through corrosion
within the distribution system or household plumbing. If
present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health
problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.
Deschutes Valley Water District 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/lead. When the water is
tested at the source, neither copper nor lead have been
detected.
Water
Quality Data Table |
|
The
table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants
that we detected during the calendar year of this
report. The presence of contaminants in the water does
not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health
risk. 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
change frequently.
|
|
|
|
|
MCLG |
MCL, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
or |
TT, or |
Your |
Range |
Sample |
|
|
Contaminants |
MRDLG |
MRDL |
Water |
Low |
High |
Date |
Violation |
Typical Source |
Inorganic Contaminants |
|
Arsenic (ppb) |
0 |
10 |
3 |
NA |
|
2009 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics
production wastes |
|
Fluoride (ppm) |
4 |
4 |
0.175 |
NA |
|
2009 |
No |
Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive
which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum factories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your |
Sample |
# Samples |
Exceeds |
|
|
Contaminants |
MCLG |
AL |
Water |
Date |
Exceeding AL |
AL |
Typical Source |
|
Inorganic Contaminants |
|
Copper - action level at consumer taps (ppm) |
1.3 |
1.3 |
0.0300 |
2016 |
0 |
No |
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion
of natural deposits |
|
|
|
Unit Descriptions |
|
Term |
Definition |
|
ppm |
ppm: parts per million, or
milligrams per liter (mg/L) |
|
positive samples/month |
positive samples/month:
Number of samples taken monthly that were found to be
positive |
|
NA |
NA: not applicable |
|
ND |
ND: Not detected |
|
NR |
NR: Monitoring not
required, but recommended. |
|
|
|
Important Drinking Water
Definitions |
Term |
Definition |
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. |
AL |
AL: Action Level: The
concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded,
triggers treatment or other requirements which a water
system must follow. |
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. MRDLG's 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 |
|
|
For more information
please contact: |
|
Marsha Keating |
Address: |
881 SW Culver Hwy |
Madras, OR 97741 |
541 475-3849 |
541 475-6013 |
mkeating@dvwd.org |
www.dvwd.org |
Great Job!
This page was updated January 5, 2017 |