2020 Annual Water Quality Report
Spanish (Española)
Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Is My Water Safe?
We are pleased to present this year’s Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year’s water quality. 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?
Avra Water obtains water from the Avra Valley Aquifer. The Avra Valley Aquifer begins as the Altar Valley Aquifer located on the Arizona/Mexico border. The Altar Valley Wash watershed flows north into the Avra Valley and the Brawley Wash watershed around the Three Points area. Our aquifer was created primarily from mountain runoff and storm water infiltrating beneath the ground along the Avra and Altar Valleys. Carbon-14 test results indicate that our water is very old, probably thousands of years old. We are fortunate to have water of this quality for our use. The Avra Water Co-op pumps water from the Avra Valley Aquifer by deep wells into the six reservoirs in the system. All of Avra’s wells are located within our water service area.
Source Water Assessment and Its Availability
Source Water Assessments are on file with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and are available for public review. You may obtain a copy of the assessment by contacting the ADEQ at (602) 771-9200 or visit them on-line at http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/dw/swap.html. The Source Water Assessment Report provides a screening level evaluation of potential contamination that could occur. We can use this information to evaluate the need to improve our current water treatment capabilities and prepare for future contamination threats. This can help us ensure that quality, finished water is delivered to your homes. In addition, the Source Water Assessment results provide a starting point for developing a Source Water Protection Plan. Based on the information currently available on the hydro-geologic settings and the adjacent land uses that are in the specified proximity of the drinking water source(s) of this public water system, the ADEQ has given a high risk designation for the degree to which this public water system drinking water source(s) are protected. A designation of high risk indicates there may be additional source water protection measures which can be implemented on the local level. This does not imply that the source water is contaminated nor does it mean that contamination is imminent. Rather, it simply states that land use activities or hydro-geologic conditions exist that make the source water susceptible to possible future contamination.
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
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). 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: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that 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; and 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, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
How Can I Get Involved?
You are invited to participate in our regularly scheduled, monthly Board of Directors meetings. They are scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the co-op. The Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors is held on the third Wednesday of every November at the Picture Rocks Elementary School. All of our members are encouraged to attend.
Description of Water Treatment Process
Your water is treated by disinfection. Disinfection involves the addition of chlorine or other disinfectant to kill dangerous bacteria and microorganisms that may be in the water. Disinfection is considered to be one of the major public health advances of the 20th century.
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 www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.
Cross Connection Control Survey
The purpose of this survey is to determine whether a cross-connection may exist at your home or business. A cross connection is an unprotected or improper connection to a public water distribution system that may cause contamination or pollution to enter the system. We are responsible for enforcing cross-connection control regulations and insuring that no contaminants can, under any flow conditions, enter the distribution system. If you have any of the devices listed below please contact us so that we can discuss the issue, and if needed, survey your connection and assist you in isolating it if that is necessary.
- Boiler/ Radiant heater (water heaters not included)
- Underground lawn sprinkler system
- Pool or hot tub (whirlpool tubs not included)
- Additional source(s) of water on the property
- Decorative pond
- Watering trough
Source Water Protection Tips
Protection of drinking water is everyone’s responsibility. You can help protect your community’s drinking water source in several ways:
- Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides – they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.
- Pick up after your pets.
- If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.
- Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.
- Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community, or visit the Watershed Information Network’s How to Start a Watershed Team.
- Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people “Dump No Waste – Drains to River” or “Protect Your Water.” Produce and distribute a flyer for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.
Monitoring and Reporting of Compliance Data Violations
Avra Water Co-op is required to test for Maximum Residual Disinfection Levels every quarter and submit those results to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality by the tenth day following the quarter. We failed to get the results to ADEQ by the tenth day after the 3rd quarter of 2019 and received a Notice of Non-Compliance. The results were forwarded on the 22nd day and our Non-Compliant status was corrected to Compliant.
Additional Information for Lead
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. Avra Water Co-op, Inc. 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 www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Additional Information for Arsenic
While your drinking water meets EPA’s standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.
Water Quality Data Table
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. 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 vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the table.
| Contaminants | MCLG or | MCL, TT | Detect In Your | Range | Sample | Violation | Typical Source | |
| MRDLG | or MRDL | Water | Low | High | Date | |||
| Disinfectants & Disinfectant By-Products (There is convincing evident that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants) |
||||||||
| TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) | NA | 80 | 3.1 | .7 | 3.1 | 2019 | No | By-product of drinking water disinfection |
| Disinfectants | MCL Violation | Running Annual Average | Range of all Samples | MRDL | MRDLG | Sample Month & Year | Likely Source of Contamination | |
| Chlorine (ppm) | No | .77 | .68-87 | 4 | 0 | 2019 | Water additive used to control microbes | |
| Inorganic Contaminants | ||||||||
| Arsenic (ppb) | 0 | 10 | 7.1 | NA | NA | 2019 | No | Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics production wastes |
| Barium (ppm) | 2 | 2 | .097 | NA | NA | 2019 | No | Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Chromium (ppm) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 | NA | NA | 2019 | No | Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Fluoride (ppm) | 4 | 4 | .36 | NA | NA | 2019 | No | Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories |
| Nitrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm) | 10 | 10 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2019 | No | Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Sodium [optional] (ppm) | NA | 38 | NA | NA | 2019 | No | Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching | |
| Radioactive Contaminants | ||||||||
| Alpha emitters (pCi/L) | 0 | 15 | 7.7 | 5.6 | 7.7 | 2019 | No | Erosion of natural deposits |
| Contaminants | MCLG | AL | Your Water | Sample Date | # Samples Exceeding AL | Exceeds AL | Typical Source |
| Inorganic Contaminants | |||||||
| Copper – action level at consumer taps (ppm) | 1.3 | 1.3 | .099 | 2018 | 0 | No | Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits |
| Lead – action level at consumer taps (ppb) | 0 | 15 | <5 | 2018 | 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) |
| ppb | ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L) |
| pCi/L | pCi/L : picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) |
| 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. MRDLGs 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:
Cathy Kuefler, Administrative Manager or Sal Madrid, Operations Superintendent
Address:
11821 W. Picture Rocks Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85743
Phone:
520-682-7331
You can also email your questions to:
If you would like a copy of this report mailed to you, please call, stop by, or email the office and we will be happy to get one to you or click here for a downloadable copy (PDF format).
