2013 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for the City of Deerfield Beach. The Source of our Water and the Treatment Process

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2 2013 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for the City of Deerfield Beach The City of Deerfield Beach is pleased to present to you the 2013 Water Quality Report. We wish to keep you informed about the high quality water and services we have provided over the past year. Our goal is and always has been to provide a safe and dependable supply of drinking water to our residents. The City of Deerfield Beach drinking water meets and surpasses all federal and state drinking water standards. Our water source is ground water from wells. The wells draw from the Biscayne Aquifer. Today the City of Deerfield Beach Water Treatment Plant supplies high quality drinking water to more than 52,000 homes and businesses throughout our community. The City has kept the pace with growing water demands through planning and by upgrading and expanding its facilities, each time meeting the need for plentiful, great quality drinking water, while ensuring compliance with increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. This report contains information about the sources for our drinking water, the regulations that are in effect to protect the quality of your drinking water, the treatment process and the test results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 through December 31, This report will be mailed to customers only upon request and is also available at Public Library locations in the City, at City Hall, Century Village Main Club House and other public and community locations in Deerfield Beach. The Source of our Water and the Treatment Process The water supply for the City of Deerfield Beach is ground water pumped from the Biscayne Aquifer, an underground geologic formation where ground water is naturally stored. The water is pumped from 20 production wells to our water treatment plant. Throughout 2012, 13 of the 20 wells were used. The other 7 wells are inactive. At the water treatment plant, the water is treated by three distinct processes: Lime Softening, Nanofiltration, and Reverse Osmosis. In the lime softening unit the ground water is treated using quicklime. This removes about 75% of the mineral calcium, thus reducing the hardness of the source water. High rate granular media filters are then used to reduce the turbidity of the water, as high turbidity can hinder the effectiveness of disinfectants. Disinfection is accomplished by adding controlled amounts of chlorine and ammonia. Fluoride is also added to the drinking water to help with tooth cavity prevention. The Membrane Nanofiltration Plant began producing water in May It draws water from the Biscayne Aquifer, pushes it at high pressure through spiral wound up membranes and has a capacity of 10.5 MGD. The water from the Nanofiltration Plant is blended with the Lime Softened water. The Reverse Osmosis in our newest facility. It was completed in 2012 and has a capacity of 2.8 MGD of drinking water. It draws water from the Floridan Aquifer, a much deeper underground water formation that has a higher mineral content. The water produced from the Lime Softening process, the Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis Processes is blended together and the finished water is further treated to provide for enough disinfectant levels and alkalinity. We are very proud of the quality of the drinking water we produce here and are happy to be able to provide it to our residents and guests. p. 1 of 8

3 In 2013 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection performed a Source Water Assessment on the Deerfield Beach water system. The assessment was conducted to provide information about any potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of our wells. There are 3 potential sources of contamination identified for the source water system with a low to moderate susceptibility level. The assessment results are available on the FDEP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program website at p. 2 of 8

4 Contact Information If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Office of the City Manager Environmental Services Department Burgess Hanson, City Manager Charles DaBrusco, Director 150 NE 2 nd Avenue 210 Goolsby Boulevard Deerfield Beach, FL Deerfield Beach, FL Water Plant Division Jim Walker Chief Water Operator 290 Goolsby Boulevard Deerfield Beach, FL Water/Sewer Emergencies Customer Service/ Utilities Billing Our Drinking Water in 2013 The City of Deerfield Beach Water Treatment Plant routinely monitors for contaminants in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws, rules, and regulations. Except where indicated otherwise, this report is based on the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1 to December 31, Data obtained before January 1, 2013, and presented in this report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations. Terms and Abbreviations In the table below, you may find unfamiliar terms and abbreviations. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions: Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow. p. 3 of 8

5 Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: 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. Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG: 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. Locational Running Annual Average (LRAA): the average of sample analytical results for samples taken at a particular monitoring location during the previous four calendar quarters. Maximum residual disinfectant level or MRDL: 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. Maximum residual disinfectant level goal or MRDLG: 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. ND means not detected and indicates that the substance was not found by laboratory analysis. Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (µg/l): one part by weight of analyte to 1 billion parts by weight of the water sample. Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l): one part by weight of analyte to 1 million parts by weight of the water sample. Water Quality Test Results NON-SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS TABLE Microbiological Contaminants Contaminant and Unit of Measurement 1. Total Coliform Bacteria (positive samples) Contaminant 3a. E. coli (at the ground water source)* Dates of sampling (mo./yr.) 1/13 to 12/13 Dates of sampling (mo./yr.) MCL Violation Y/N Highest Monthly Percentage/Number MCLG N 3.8% 0 Violation Y/N Total Number of Positive Samples for the Year MCLG MCL Presence of coliform bacteria in >5% of monthly samples. 12/13 N MCL Likely Source of Contamination Naturally present in the environment Likely source of contamination Human or animal fecal waste p. 4 of 8

6 Inorganic Contaminants 12. Barium (ppm) August/2012 N N/A Fluoride (ppm) July/2011 N Nickel (ppb) August/2012 N 2.9 N/A N/A Nitrate (as Nitrogen) (ppm) August/2013 N N/A Sodium (ppm) July/2011 N 14.3 Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products Disinfectant or Contaminant and Unit of Measurement 78. Chlorine and Chloramines (ppm) Dates of sampling (mo./yr.) Jan Dec 2013 MCL or MRDL Violation Y/N Level Detected Range of Results N Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products Contaminant and Unit of Measurement 85. Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb) 86. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) (ppb) Dates of sampling (mo/yr) Jan Dec 2013 Jan 2013 Dec 2013 MCL Violation (Y/N) Level Detected MCLG or MRDLG MRDLG = 4 MCL or MRDL MRDL = Range of Results MCLG MCL N N/A 60 N N/A 80 N/A 160 Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories. Water additive which promotes strong teeth when at the optimum level of 0.7 ppm Pollution from mining and refining operations. Natural occurrence in soil Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits Salt water intrusion, leaching from soil Likely Source of Contamination Water additive used to control microbes Likely Source of Contamination By-product of drinking water disinfection By-product of drinking water disinfection p. 5 of 8

7 Contaminant and Unit of Measurement Dates of sampling (mo./yr.) Lead and Copper (Tap Water) 87. Copper (tap water) (ppm) 88. Lead (tap water) (ppb) 07/13-08/13 07/13-08/13 AL Exceeded (Y/N) 90th Percentile Result No. of sampling sites exceeding the AL MCLG AL (Action Level) N N Likely Source of Contamination Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits Information about Notices Issued in the past year In December 2013 our residents had to follow a precautionary boil water advisory due to possible contamination of the source water wells from our only secondary supplier of ground water. On December 19, 2013 we were notified by the Health Department that one of the source water wells from our additional supplier (Broward County Water and Wastewater Services) was possibly contaminated with E. coli. That well was immediately taken out of service at the source and we proceeded to collect microbiological samples in our water distribution system to assess the possible contamination of our system. Various samples representative of our distribution system were collected that same day and the following day. As instructed by the Health Department a Precautionary Boil Water Notice was issued on December 20 th 2013 for all residents served by the City s water system. All the samples collected showed absence of Total coliform contamination, and on December 22 nd 2013 the Boil Water Notice was rescinded as approved by the Broward County Health Department. There was no violation issued to the City because of this. The City of Deerfield Beach has been notified by Broward County Water and Wastewater Services that the affected well has been disconnected since December 19 th and it is scheduled for rehabilitation to be completed in The well will remain disconnected until rehabilitation is complete and it is cleared for use by the Florida Department of Health-Broward County. Health Effects: Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. p. 6 of 8

8 Water Safety and Health Information 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 City of Deerfield Beach 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 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. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which 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. 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, the EPA prescribes regulations, which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. 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 the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at p. 7 of 8

9 Future Expansions In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, it may be necessary to make improvements in your water system. The costs of these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be necessary in order to address these improvements. Thank you for allowing us to continue providing your family with clean, quality water this year. In order to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, we sometimes need to make improvements that will benefit all of our customers. These improvements are sometimes reflected as rate structure adjustments. Thank you for understanding. Special Information on Drinking Water 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 guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline ( ). Closing Notes Please DO NOT FLUSH your unused/unwanted medications down toilets or sinks drains. For more information, please click here at We at the City of Deerfield Beach work all year round to provide top quality water to every tap. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of our community, our way of life and our children s future. Please be aware that water is precious resource and it should not be wasted. We at the Deerfield Beach Water Treatment Plant would like you to understand the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources. We are committed to insuring the quality of your water. If you have any questions or concerns about the information provided, please feel free to call any of the numbers listed. p. 8 of 8