EBMUD SERVICE AREA

Crockett

S A N P A B L O B A Y

Rodeo

4

Hercules

Pinole

San Pablo

San Pablo

Richmond Reservoir

Lafayette WTP

Albany

San Pablo WTP*

Orinda WTP

Berkeley 24

Walnut Creek WTP

Lafayette

Reservoir

MoragaAlamo

680

Danville

Upper

San Leandro

Reservoir

San

Ramon

FROM SNOWFLAKE TO THE BAY

The water flowing out of the taps of 1.4 million East Bay customers originates almost entirely from the 577-square mile Mokelumne River watershed on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. This area consists mostly of national forest, EBMUD- owned lands, and other undeveloped lands little affected by human activity. This is where our high quality water begins.

Snowmelt from Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras counties flows into Pardee Reservoir near Valley Springs. Three large aqueducts transport water 90 miles from Pardee Reservoir to our service area and then to every customer, hydrant, and fire service through EBMUD’s water distribution system. During drought or for operational needs, EBMUD may draw water from local watersheds in the East Bay or purchase water from other watersheds like the Sacramento River – and customers may notice a change in the taste. Because we have multiple sources, we’re much more resilient.

EBMUD’s skilled employees operate a complex network of reservoirs, pipes, pumps, and water treatment plants. This infrastructure is rarely seen, but it works around the clock to provide safe, reliable drinking water every day.

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION

EBMUD evaluates our water sources to ensure great water quality. We conduct assessments for the Mokelumne River watershed and East Bay watersheds at least every five years. The most recent

surveys were completed in 2021 and include data for 2015 to

2019 for the Mokelumne River watershed and 2015 to 2018 for the East Bay watersheds. The water quality surveys evaluate sanitary conditions, results of watershed management activities, and identify potential contamination sources that may affect the watersheds. Potential contaminant sources include runoff from fire and fuels management, geologic hazards, erosion, wildlife and livestock, sanitation facilities, recreation, urban storm water, and transportation corridors. Ongoing efforts to identify and protect the source waters from all potential contaminating activities are an integral part of EBMUD’s water quality management. To review these reports, contact EBMUD or the State Water Resources Control Board.

PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH ONE DROP AT A TIME

Before reaching your tap, all water is treated to high standards at EBMUD’s water treatment plants which filter and disinfect water for

1.4 million customers daily. EBMUD ensures high water quality by carefully managing and protecting watershed lands and reservoirs, using best practices to treat drinking water, operating and maintaining an intricate distribution system, and by quickly addressing customer questions or concerns.

EBMUD samples and tests your water extensively to ensure it is safe to drink. We monitor for the presence of more than 100 substances including microorganisms, pesticides, herbicides, asbestos, lead, copper, petroleum products, and by-products of industrial and water treatment processes. More than 20,000 laboratory tests each year ensure the safety of your drinking water.

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ESSENTIAL SERVICES DURING A PANDEMIC

EBMUD has remained on the job throughout the coronavirus pandemic and took actions to keep the water flowing for our customers and to protect our essential workers. Though more than half of EBMUD staff sheltered at home to help prevent transmission of the virus, many EBMUD employees worked continuously to repair, maintain, and replace our critical infrastructure and treat water and wastewater to high standards. When hand sanitizer and masks were in short supply, EBMUD manufactured hand sanitizer for employees and disinfected masks for reuse, later becoming a regional clearinghouse for 75,000 reusable masks from FEMA/EPA for other water and wastewater agencies in northern California. For indispensable jobs, such as Water Treatment Plant Operators, EBMUD created new protocols to minimize health risks by implementing shift rotations and minimizing access by others inside sensitive facilities. We modified our sampling practices to allow employees to work safely. In offices, plastic guards and partitions were installed, and workflows were altered to provide for electronic signatures and digital communications, significantly reducing our use of paper. EBMUD provided access to rapid COVID-19 tests for staff for whom distancing at work is difficult – such as plumbers working in close quarters when making pipe repairs. EBMUD also became a leader in sampling wastewater for the presence of COVID-19 to aid local and state officials in their decisions about pandemic response efforts.

WHERE YOUR WATER IS TREATED

Before reaching your tap, EBMUD treats the water at one of our water treatment plants in the East Bay. Some customers receive water from different treatment plants depending on the time of year. The taste and odor of your tap water may change throughout the year because of operational changes (such as when a treatment plant is shut down for maintenance) or due to changes in the source water.

These water treatment plant locations are shown on the map on page 2.

WHAT WAS DETECTED AND REPORTED

In 2020, EBMUD treated raw water from multiple sources and consistently provided high-quality drinking water, meeting or surpassing every public health requirement set by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

The tables on the following pages show the measured amounts of contaminants detected in 2020 or in the most recent year sampling was required. Samples were collected in EBMUD’s source waters, at water treatment plants, in the distribution system, and at customer taps.

Although EBMUD tests for more than 100 substances, this report only lists those detected at or above the state or federal level required for reporting. In this case, no news is good news!

HOW TO READ THE WATER QUALITY TABLE

Table 1 – Regulated for public health

These contaminants are regulated to protect your health. They have maximum contaminant levels, known as primary MCLs, set by the State Water Board or the USEPA. These levels are set as close to the established public health goals as is economically and technologically feasible

Table 2 – Regulated for drinking water aesthetics

These contaminants are regulated to maintain aesthetic qualities such as smell, taste, and appearance of drinking water. They have maximum contaminant levels, also known as secondary MCLs, set by the State Water Board.

Table 3 – Unregulated contaminants

These contaminants are not currently regulated. Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps the State Water Board and the USEPA determine where certain contaminants are present and whether the contaminants need to be regulated in the future. The results under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule part 4 (UCMR4) must be reported if detected. This table also includes other contaminants that have state notification levels and water agencies are encouraged—but not required—to report results to consumers.

Table 4 – Other parameters of interest to customers

These water measurements, such as pH, hardness and alkalinity, may be of interest to customers.

1. Go to the first column in the tables on pages 6–8 to find the contaminant you are interested in. Remember – no news is good news!
2. Column two lists the state or federal goal. At that amount or lower, there is no known or expected risk to health from the contami- nant’s presence in drinking water. Not all listed contaminants have state or federal goals.
3. Column three notes the highest amount the State Water Board or the USEPA allows. This amount is usually not as low as the public health goal in column two.

4. Column four lists the average amount detected across the EBMUD service area or at designated locations.
5. Find the column that corresponds to the water treatment plant or plants that serve you. This is the range of concentration of the contaminant detected in your area’s water.
6. The last column lists how the contaminant typically gets into your drinking water.

In addition to thousands of lab tests, Water System Inspectors like Wayne check the aesthetics of the water for smell and taste

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EBMUD 2020 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT

In 2020, your drinking water was consistently the highest quality, surpassing every public health requirement set by the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water and the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.

EBMUD employees like Dave work to ensure our customers have access to clean, quality water 24/7.

Notes

1. See page 11 for additional information about fluoride in drinking water.
2. Highest running annual average.
3. Chloramine residuals in the distribution system are measured as an equivalent quantity of chlorine. When the chloramine residual cannot be detected, the sample is further analyzed to ensure that microbiological water quality is in compliance with regulations.
4. This value is the highest locational running annual average, which compliance is based on. Water treatment plant values show the range of individual sample results.
5. These data are collected in the distribution system. The sample locations are assigned to the most representative water treatment plant, but the data may also represent water from another plant.

Key Terms

Primary Drinking These standards regulate contaminants that affect health by setting MCLs, MRDLs, and Treatment Techniques Water Standard (TT) along with their monitoring and reporting requirements.

46. Treatment Technique. A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Units

gpg grains per gallon

μS/cm microsiemens per centimeter, a measure of electrical conductance

WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the State Water Board and the USEPA prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and United States Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that provide the same protection for public health. Additional information on bottled water is available on the CDPH website.*

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 is available online at www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water. Contact your healthcare provider or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for guidelines on using tap water for health or medical purposes.

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:

Vulnerable populations

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 some infants can be particularly at risk to infection.

These people should seek advice about drinking water from their

Notes

5. These data are collected in the distribution system. The sample locations are assigned to the most representative water treatment plant, but the data may also represent water from another plant.

6. Parameters with a notification level.

7. Grains Per Gallon (gpg) is a measure of water hardness. Knowing the amount can help improve the function of dishwashers, cooling equipment and other industrial processes. Refer to your appliance manufacturer’s instruction manual for the optimum grains per gallon level.

Key Terms

Microbial contaminants, such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa, such as Cryptosporidium, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, that 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, that 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, that are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, agricultural application and septic systems.

Radioactive contaminants that can be naturally occurring

or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

health care providers. USEPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and Giardia and other microbial contaminants are available online at www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/index.html.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are microbial contaminants that are naturally present in the environment and found in surface water throughout the United States. Filtration is highly effective in removing these contaminants, however the most commonly used filtration methods cannot guarantee 100 percent removal. In 2020 our monitoring detected Cryptosporidium and Giardia in our source water prior to reaching EBMUD water treatment plants.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia must be ingested to cause disease, and it may spread through means other than drinking water. Most healthy individuals can overcome the disease within a few weeks. However, immuno-compromised people, infants and small children, and the elderly are at greater risk of developing life-threatening illness. We encourage these individuals to consult their physician regarding appropriate precautions to take to avoid infection.

*www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/Pages/FDBPrograms/FoodSafetyProgram/Water.aspx

Briones Reservoir is one of five East Bay reservoirs that stores ‘raw’ water before it’s treated at one of EBMUD’s treatment plants and then distributed to customers.

Per - and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and thousands of others. PFAS have been used in the manufacture of numerous products since the 1940s to impart stain, water, and oil resistance. PFOA and PFOS are the most extensively used and studied of these chemicals. Both are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects. PFAS are found in a wide range of consumer products that people use daily such as cookware, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, and stain repellant fabrics. They are also used in specialized firefighting foams. Currently, California is in the process of developing monitoring requirements and enforceable standards for PFAS in drinking water.

Several years ago, the USEPA required all large water systems (including EBMUD) to collect and analyze samples for a limited set of PFAS; we did not detect any at that time. Analytical methods are constantly improving; since our initial monitoring was done five years ago, newer methods have become available that are capable of finding some PFAS at concentrations as low as 1 or 2 parts per trillion.

Currently, the State Water Board has issued monitoring orders to hundreds of water systems most vulnerable to PFAS contamination due to their proximity to airports with fire

training and response areas and municipal solid waste landfills. These public water systems were required to sample quarterly for four consecutive quarters.

EBMUD was not required to monitor due to the protected nature of our watersheds. Each quarter, we did voluntary collection and analyzed samples from each EBMUD treatment plant during 2020, using the most recent analytical methods with the lowest available detection limits. Some very low concentrations were detected, but all were below the state’s Notification Levels (5.1 parts per trillion for PFOA and

6.5 parts per trillion for PFOS). EBMUD will continue to monitor for PFAS in 2021.

Lead in drinking water

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems. Pregnant women, infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population.

Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with lead in water distribution pipes and home plumbing. EBMUD replaced all known lead service pipes in its service area in the

Our latest lead and copper sampling results at 53 customer homes were below the action levels for lead and copper and the 90th percentile values were below the detection limit. Lead and copper sampling was last completed in 2018. Due to low results, EBMUD samples for lead and copper every three years.

If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home’s water, you may have your water tested. EBMUD offers our customers one free lead test per year. More than 1,700 customers have requested a free lead test voucher since the program began in 2017. Lead concentration from these customer samples continues to be very low (less than 1 ppb for 90 percent of the samples). Request a lead test voucher by calling Customer Service at 866-403-2683 or email customerservice@ebmud.com.

Also, if you suspect you have lead in your fixtures, any time your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by running your faucet for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. Capture and reuse this water for other uses such as watering ornamental plants.

• REQUEST A LEAD TEST VOUCHER

Call 866-403-2683 or email customerservice@ebmud.com

Lead testing in schools

Sampling for lead in schools began in 2017 and completed in January 2020. EBMUD provided comprehensive lead testing at pre-kindergarten through 12th grade schools. All public schools and 41 percent of private schools in the service area were tested. Results to date are less than 5 ppb in 95 percent of the samples and less than 1 ppb in 77 percent of the samples. More than 7,800 samples were collected

and made publicly available on the State Water Board’s website.**

After a new pipe is installed in downtown Oakland, Sam checks to make sure there’s enough chlorine for disinfection.

fluorosis does not affect the health of the infant or the health of the infant’s teeth. To lessen this chance, deionized, purified, distilled or demineralized bottled water can be used.

If you have additional questions about fluoride, contact your health provider. Additional information can be found at www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/Fluoridation.html or www.cdc.gov/fluoridation websites.

1990s and continues to actively seek out and replace any remaining lead materials. We maintain an aggressive corrosion control program to reduce lead leaching from our water mains and customer piping. Still, lead may be present as a legacy of older plumbing, particularly older plumbing within homes. According to the USEPA, homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes or fixtures and solder that contain lead.

Great water is on tap for all our 1.4 million East Bay customers.

Fluoridation

EBMUD is required by state law to add fluoride to drinking water to help prevent dental decay in consumers. Current regulations require fluoride levels in the treated water be maintained between 0.6 to 1.2 ppm with an optimum dose of 0.7 ppm. Our monitoring showed that fluoride levels in the treated water distribution system averaged 0.7 ppm.

According to the American Dental Association and CDC, it is safe to use optimally fluoridated water for preparing infant formula. If an infant is primarily fed infant formula prepared with fluoridated water, there may be an increased chance for mild enamel fluorosis, but enamel

• REPORT A WATER QUALITY CONCERN

Do you have a question or concern about your water quality? Call 866-403-2683. EBMUD inspectors respond to calls within one business day regarding water which appears dirty, colored, has foreign particles or unusual taste or odor.

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375 Eleventh Street Oakland, CA 94607 1-866-403-2683 www.ebmud.com

Goats help EBMUD reduce vegetation and minimize fire hazards around our water treatment plants without the need for pesticides.

HOW TO CONTACT EBMUD

For more information about water quality or to report a water quality concern, call 866-403-2683 or visit www.ebmud.com/waterquality.

If you would like this report mailed to you, email customerservice@ebmud.com or call 510-986-7555. View this report online at www.ebmud.com/wqr.

EBMUD has a seven-member Board of Directors publicly elected from wards within the EBMUD service area. We invite the public to participate in decisions affecting drinking water quality and other matters at its Board of Directors meetings held the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. While COVID-19 restrictions are in effect and aligned with the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, Board meetings will be conducted via webinar and teleconference. These measures will apply when

state or local public health officials have imposed or recommend social distancing. For more information, see www.ebmud.com/board-meetings.

General Manager

Clifford C. Chan

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS

State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water • 510-620-3474 Alameda Public Health Department • 510-267-8000 Contra Costa Public Health Division • 925-313-6712

PHOTO CREDITS: Karl Nielson, Elijah Nouvelage, Susan Teefy, Kingmond Young

PUB. 148 3/21 2M 30% Post-consumer waste