M5.4 Consumer Confidence Reports

Water Quality 

1. What is the source of your drinking water? 
• Cal Water uses local groundwater and purchases water from Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD). This water is supplied by South Bay Aqueduct, Lake Del Valle, and San Luis Reservoir, which all draw water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed. Local sources of water are the Anderson Reservoir and the Calero Reservoir.  
2. What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected?
• No chemicals exceeded the established standards. The following list includes the chemicals, elements, and particles tested for: gross alpha particle activity, radium 228, uranium, aluminum, barium, hexavalent chromium, chromium, fluoride, nitrates, perchlorate, selenium, turbidity, total organic carbon, haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes, chloramine, copper, lead, boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, color, hardness, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, pH, sodium, strontium, sulfate, dissolved solids, vanadium, and chlorodifluoromethane.   
3. What chemicals did you not expect to find in your water?
• There are several chemicals and contaminants in the water from manmade sources. I would prefer to drink water without these additional chemicals. Some examples include the following: barium, hexavalent chromium, chromium, nitrates, perchlorate, selenium, and chlorodifluoromethane. 
4. What are the associated health risks with the chemicals found in your water?
• Chlorodifluoromethane: also known as freon 22 is from refrigerator run-off. Limited data are available about the risks associated with freon 22. Case studies show that exposure is associated with CNS depression, cardiac arrhythmias, atrial hypertension, dizziness, nausea, and coma.   
• Chromium: is most often discharged from electroplating factories, leather tanneries, wood preservation, chemical synthesis, refractory production, textile manufacturing, and steel mills. Presumed to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic.   
• Perchlorate: used in rocket propellant, fireworks, explosives, flares and matches. Water contamination from historic aerospace operations. Health effects include: antithyroid, gastric irritation, nausea, vomiting, fever, skin rashes, lymphadenopathy, nephrotic syndrome, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, pancytopenia, and fatal aplastic anemia. 
• Selenium: natural element that is discharged from petroleum, glass, and metal refineries. Additionally, it is found in livestock lot runoff. Health effects include CNS dysfunction, liver damage, heart damage, liver damage, and teratogenicity.  
5. What did you discover about your water quality?
• Overall, I was pleased that no chemicals exceeded the standards established by regulatory bodies. Additionally, Cal Water does not add extra fluorine to the water because it is naturally occurring within the area. Lastly, Cal Water treats with chlorine to reduce microbial contamination. However, there are other alternatives to treat the water for microbials, which include ozone and ultraviolet lights.  
6.  Do you use a filter for your water? If so, what are you trying to filter out?
• No, I do not use a filter for my water. 
7. Do you drink bottled water? 
• No, I do not drink bottled water. I quit drinking bottled water five years ago. Since then, I have been trying to convince other members of my family to do the same.