Community Water Company pumps groundwater from the aquifer using four wells and stores it in three one-million gallon reservoirs. The water is delivered to the community through our water distribution system. Construction of a new two million gallon reservoir and new production well are scheduled for completion in the spring of 2002.

For more information, please contact ADEQ toll free at 1-800-234-5677 ext. 4425 or (602) 207-4644. ADEQ plans to conduct the Source Water Assessment for Community Water Company in 2003.

Proper disposal of household chemicals and automotive waste can help minimize the risk of groundwater contamination by reducing the potential for runoff and leaching. The Sahuarita Landfill accepts paint, batteries, motor oil, anti-freeze, and other hazardous household items 7 days a week between 7:30 AM and 4:45 PM. Call 744-7649 for more information.

A hazardous waste pickup occurs in Green Valley, usually two to four times each year. The Green Valley News and Sun typically announces the date, time, and location of the scheduled pickup.

Over time, we have noticed some questions and comments that tend to be raised more frequently than others. The most common pertain to the hardness and sodium content of the water. Below are a few of the typical comments along with our responses. We are grateful for the input and suggestions we have received from many of you.

“My dishwasher leaves white stuff all over my dishes.” - We suspect that this is caused by the hardness of the water. As a service to our customers, Community Water Company now samples annually for hardness levels. Hardness levels range between 137.0 to 487.4 mg/l or 8.0 and 28.5 grains per gallon. Some of our customers have suggested the following methods to minimize deposits: use detergent additives (some report that adding these during the rinse cycle yields the best results), reduce the temperature of your hot water heater (based on inquiries we receive, those with newer dishwashers tend to notice more deposits - one customer suggested that this may be due to the temperature boosters in the newer dishwashers - if you’ve lowered the temperature of your hot water heater, you may want to check your dishwasher), and/or allow your dishes to air dry. Your dishwasher manufacturer may be able to give you additional suggestions.

“My doctor wants me to reduce my sodium intake. What is the sodium content of the water?” Sodium levels in year 2000 ranged between 38 and 70 milligrams per liter (mg/L), which is approximately 8.9 to 16.5 milligrams of sodium in an 8-ounce glass of water. One liter is approximately equal to 33.82 ounces. Some customers with low sodium diets who also utilize water softeners have chosen to use potassium chloride as a substitute for sodium chloride in their brine tanks.

“I’ve noticed a white residue around my plants.” - In 1999, one of our customers submitted water and soil samples to a lab to determine if this residue is harmful to plants. According to reports he obtained, the irrigation water quality is very good. His soil fertility reports concluded that the salinity is high and will cause slow growth, foliar burn, or death of sensitive species. The consultant suggested that some of the salts are native to the soil, but additional salts may have been deposited by light, frequent irrigation through the drip system. The consultant’s recommendation was to apply 3 to 4 cycles of heavy irrigation (12 to 24 hours with a drip system) to leach the excess salts down and out of the root zone, allowing the soil to dry between cycles. Please be sure to consult with your landscape expert to determine the appropriate watering methods for your plants. Once plants mature, they typically require less water.

Community Water Company conducts routine maintenance on its wells to ensure they are working properly and to extend their useful life. Wells may be temporarily taken out of service for maintenance any time during the year. All of the wells have varying levels of hardness. Some customers may notice hardness fluctuations while a well is put in or taken out of service for well maintenance.

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, persons 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.

United States Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease Control guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - The “Goal” (MCLG) is the level of contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - 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. MCLs are set at very stringent levels. To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime to have a one-in-a-million chance of having the described health effect.

Non-Detects (ND) - The laboratory analysis indicates that the constituent is not present.

Parts Per Million (ppm) or Milligrams Per Liter (mg/l) - one Part Per Million and one Milligram per Liter correspond to one minute in two years, or a single penny in $10,000.

We are pleased to report that our water met all federal and state standards for drinking water during 2001.

We routinely monitor for constituents in drinking water according to federal and state laws and are required to test the water for more than 100 constituents at intervals determined by the state. These intervals, or compliance periods, differ depending on the type of contaminant and the likelihood of variation in sample results from year to year. Regulated synthetic organic chemicals, volatile organic chemicals, and inorganic chemicals are sampled every three years and were tested in 2001. Unregulated synthetic organic chemicals, volatile organic chemicals, and inorganic chemicals are sampled every five years. Samples for radiochemicals are required every four years. Samples are required for lead and copper every three years. Asbestos samples are required every nine years. Sampling for other contaminants, such as coliform bacteria, occurs more frequently.

Table 1 on the following page identifies constituents that were detected during the required compliance period. As noted in Table 1, some data is from the most recent compliance period which may not have occurred in 2001. All data included in Table 1 is from testing done within the last three years.

The constituents that were detected were within state and federal standards. It is important to remember that the presence of these constituents does not necessarily pose a health risk.

Table 2  identifies constituents that were tested for, but not detected in your water.

On December 7, 2000, EPA published their Final Rule setting new standards for radio nuclides in drinking water (65 FR 76708). This rule has an effective date of December 8, 2003. Originally proposed in 1991, the final rule sets Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for the following:

As known or suspected carcinogens, all of the radionuclides have a maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) of zero. The rule applies to all 55,000-community water systems in the U.S., and impacts primarily groundwater systems. The Agency estimates that 800 systems will need to install removal treatment. Radium is naturally occurring and is found in groundwater in the Upper Mid-west while uranium occurs in the mountainous areas in the West as well as Nebraska and Texas.

For more information, please visit the EPA Office of Water website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ and type radionuclides in the search window.

Under a final rule signed by the US Environmental Protection Agency on January 16, 2001 and by President Clinton on the following day, a revised arsenic maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 parts per billion became effective on February 22, 2002 with full compliance required by January 22, 2006 and would apply to all community and non-transient-noncommunity water systems.

Arsenic is an element that is present in the earth’s crust and may enter the water supply through the weathering of rocks and erosion. As noted in Table 1, arsenic levels for Community Water Company ranged between 10 and 17 ppb during the 2001 compliance period. Because the new MCL is at or below existing arsenic levels, we anticipate that future water treatment will be required to remove arsenic. EPA and others have prepared national cost predictions for arsenic treatment which range from $400 million to $1.3 billion annually. Community Water Company participated in an American Water Works Association  (AWWARF) study that created a decision tree enabling water utilities to select the most appropriate treatment options based on physical constraints and costs. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the MCL over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

For more information, please visit the EPA Office of Water website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ and type arsenic in the search window.