Author: Patti Latourelle

2013
Consumer
Confidence Report

East Pasadena
Water Company

At East Pasadena Water Company (EPWC), we provide our customers with clean, fresh water. This Annual Consumer Confidence Report has been developed in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations to keep you informed about EPWC’s water quality. In it, you will find detailed information about 2013 water quality results.
Introduction
East Pasadena Water Company is committed to keeping you informed about the quality of your drinking water. This report will give you a summary of how EPWC provides your tap water and explain a few of the many steps we take to ensure that the high quality of your water stays protected.
For more information or questions about the information contained in this report, please contact Wayne Goehring, East Pasadena Water Company, 3725 Mountain View Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91107. Phone (626) 793-6189.
Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre su agua de beber. Traduzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien. Si necesita mas informacion llame a nuestra oficina al (626) 793-6189.
Where does my drinking water come from?
EPWC provides approximately 9,850 people with drinking water that meets or surpasses all state and federal drinking water standards. Most of the water we serve is pumped from local, natural groundwater sources. The water is pumped from wells in the Main San Gabriel and Raymond Groundwater Basins. EPWC blends water from both basins in its daily operations to meet water quality standards. It is sent through a distribution network of underground pipes to your home.

What are water quality standards?
The federal government, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regulates the quality and safety of drinking water in the United States. In California, the EPA standards are supplemented and enforced by the California Department of Public Health (DPH). Drinking water standards establish limits for substances that may affect human health or aesthetic qualities of water. EPWC drinking water meets or exceeds EPA and DPH standards. The chart in this report shows the following types of water quality standards:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the Public Health Goals (see definition in next column) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs are set to regulate the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.
Primary Drinking Water Standard (PDWS): MCLs for contaminants that may affect human health along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
What is a Consumer Confidence Report?
In addition to mandatory water quality standards, the EPA and the State of California have set voluntary water quality goals for some contaminants. Webster’s Dictionary defines a goal as an “end toward which effort is directed”. Water quality goals are often set at such low detection levels that they are not currently achievable in practice and are not directly measurable, but they

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nevertheless provide useful guideposts for aiming water management activities. The chart in this report includes two types of water quality goals:
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLs are set by the U.S. EPA.
Public Health Goal (PHG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to human health.
What contaminants may be present in sources of drinking water?
The sources of drinking water generally include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, 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. Listed below are Contaminants that may be present in the source water:
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 storm water 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 and residential uses.
Radioactive contaminants, which are naturally occurring or can be the result of oil and gas production or mining activities.

( Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum.
Are there any precautions the public should consider?
Drinking water, including bottled water, can 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 at (800) 426-4791.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons can be particularly at risk from infections. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplants recipients, HIV/AIDS positive individuals, some of the elderly and infants or individuals who have an immune system disorder may 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 provide an appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants and are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
About Nitrate— Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 45 mg/l is a health risk for infants of less than 6 months of age. Such nitrate levels in drinking water can interfere with the capacity of the infant’s blood to carry oxygen, resulting in a serious illness; symptoms include shortness of breath and blueness of the skin. Nitrate levels above 45 mg/L may also affect the ability of the blood to carry oxygen in other individuals, such as pregnant women and those with certain specific enzyme deficiencies. If you are caring for an infant, or you are pregnant, you should ask advice from your health care provider.

How does your drinking water measure up?
Your drinking water is regularly tested using state-approved methods to ensure its safety. The chart in this report lists all the drinking water constituents that were detected in 2013 or in the most recent tests. We are pleased to report that, once again, East Pasadena Water Company met or surpassed all state and federal primary drinking water standards. Please see the other side of this page for more details.
Customer Service
As a service organization, we value your input, concerns and suggestions. Please feel free to contact us at (626) 793-6189.
Well Locations
EPWC operates four deep wells throughout our water system which are located in Arcadia & Pasadena.
Interconnection Locations
We also maintain two emergency interconnections with the following water systems:
Pasadena Water & Power
City of Arcadia
East Pasadena Water Company
3725 Mountain View Avenue
Pasadena, California 91107
(626) 793-6189
You can now pay your bill online at
www.epwater.com

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East Pasadena Water Company
2013 Annual Water Quality Results

Your water is tested regularly to ensure compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements. This report shows all drinking water constituents that were detected in 2013 or in the most recent tests. Once again, your water met or surpassed all state and federal primary drinking water standards. For additional water quality data, contact Wayne Goehring at East Pasadena Water Company at (626) 793-6189.

Table 1—Primary Standards—Mandatory Health-Related Standards Established by the State of California Department of Public Health
Constituents	Units	MCL / In CCR / Units	MCLG / OR / (PHG)	Ground / Water / Range	Average	Most / Recent / Sample / Date	Major Sources in Drinking Water
Organic Chemicals
Total Trihalomethanes (THM)	PPB	80	None	N/D—10	5	July 2013	By Product of drinking water disinfection.
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)	PPB	5	(0)	N/D—4.3	3.03	Weekly in 2013	Discharge from factories, dry cleaners & auto shops
Trichlorethlene (TCE)	PPB	5	.8	N/D—1.5	.69	Weekly in 2013	Discharge from metal degreasing sites &other factories
Dichloroethylene (1,1 DCE)	PPB	6	10	N/D—1.2	.61	Weekly in 2013	Discharge from industrial chemical factories
Inorganic Chemicals
Fluoride	PPM	2**	1	.74—.85	.79	March 2012	Erosion of natural deposits. Releases from aluminum plants
Nitrate (AS NO3)	PPM	45	45	2—33	16.61	Weekly in 2013	Runoff/leaching from fertilizer use, septic tanks & sewage
Lead and Copper
Lead (b)	PPB	AL=15	2	N/D	N/A / (0 of 20 / samples / exceeded A/L)	August 2013	Internal corrosion of household plumbing systems
Copper (b)	PPM	AL=1.3	.17	N/D—.16	.11 / (0 of 20 / samples / exceeded A/L)	August 2013	Internal corrosion of household plumbing systems
Radioactivity
Gross Alpha Activity	pCi/l	15	(0)	N/D—27	11.27	April 2007 & Quarterly in 2012	Erosion of natural deposits
Uranium	pCi/l	20	(0)	N/D—27	14.04	April 2007 & Quarterly in 2012	Erosion of natural deposits

Table 2—Secondary Standards—Aesthetic Standards Established by the State of California, / Department of Public Health
Constituents	Units	MCL / In CCR / Units	MCLG / OR / (PHG)	Ground / Water / Range	Average	Most / Recent / Sample / Date	Major Sources in Drinking Water
Odor-Threshold	Units	3	None	1	1	March 2012	Naturally occurring organic materials
Turbidity	Units	5	None	N/D—0.1	.025	March 2012	Soil runoff
Chloride	PPM	500	None	7.3—50	24.98	March 2012	Runoff/leaching of natural deposits
Sulfate	PPM	500	None	10—130	58.75	March 2012	Runoff/leaching of natural deposits
Total Dissolved Solids	PPM	1,000	None	150—560	335	March 2012	Runoff/leaching of natural deposits
Additional Constituents Analyzed
Bicarbonate Alkalinity	PPM	N/S	None	190—290	227.50	March 2012	Erosion of natural deposits
pH	Units	N/S	None	6.5—7.7	7.28	March 2012	Measure of acidity and alkalinity
Hardness (CaCo3)	PPM	N/S	None	120—440	247.50	March 2012	Naturally occurring
Sodium	PPM	N/S	None	24—28	26.50	March 2012	Naturally occurring
Calcium	PPM	N/S	None	37—130	74.50	March 2012	Naturally occurring
Magnesium	PPM	N/S	None	6.3—26	15.05	March 2012	Naturally occurring
Potassium	PPM	N/S	None	N/D—2.4	1.45	March 2012	Naturally occurring
Specific Conductance	Umho/cm	1600	None	330—890	562.50	March 2012	Substances that form ions in water; seawater influence

Microbiological % of samples positive = 0
Coliform Bacteria (a) No. of acute violations = 0

All EPWC water is treated with Calcium hypochlorite (Chlorine)
Unit Definitions
C.C.R.= Consumer Confidence Report units (unit level established by the California Department of Public Health)
AL= action level
mg/l = milligrams per liter (parts per million, PPM)
N/D = non detect
N/S = no standard
NTU = Nephelometric Turbidity Units
pCi/l = pico Curies per liter
PPB = parts per billion
PPM = parts per million
PPT = parts per trillion
ug/l = micrograms per liter (parts per billion PPB)
umho/cm = micromho per centimeter
** = fluoride standard depends on temperature
Glossary of Terms
Action Level (AL):
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water purveyor must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL):
The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG):
The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Primary Drinking Water Standard (PDWS):
MCLs for contaminants that affect health, along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements.
Public Health Goal (PHG):
The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California Public Environmental Protection Agency.
Regulatory Action Level (AL):
The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT):
A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Variances and Exemptions:
State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.
Lead and Copper
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. East Pasadena Water Company 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.
Notes
Results are based on distributions system monitoring and apply to the entire system.
(b) Action level measured at customers tap, a primary standard. Compliance based on the 90th percentile value. The value shown as a result of lead & copper is the 90th percentile for all the samples.