JBLM 2017 Water Quality Report - JBLM Lewis (Main / North)

2017 WATER QUALITY REPORT JBLM‐LEWIS (Main/North) Public Water System 26050 / Joint Base Lewis‐McChord, WA The Quality of Your Water Is Our Primary Concern The Joint Base Lewis‐McChord (JBLM) Directorate of Public Works (DPW) produces and distributes drinking water from systems permi ed by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) required by the Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA) requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (40 CFR 141.155[a]) and Washington State Department of Health (DOH) requirements (Washington Administra ve Code WAC 246‐290‐72001 thru 720012). The JBLM water 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 (2017) water quality. Your water is safe to drink.

This water report is prepared for consumers on the JBLM‐Lewis system, which includes Lewis Main and North, Camp Murray and the VA Hospital. A separate and similar water report for JBLM McChord Field drinking water consumers is available as well.

This report contains important informa on about your drinking water.

Spanish (Espanol) : Este informe con ene informacion muy importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o hable con alguien que lo en enda bien.

French (Francais): Ce rapport con ent des informa ons importantes sur votre eau potable. Traduisez‐le ou parlez en avec quequ'un qui le comprend bien.

Where Does My Water Come From?

JBLM‐LEWIS (PWS 26505) JBLM (formerly Fort Lewis) began as Camp Lewis in 1917 when the land was donated by Pierce County to the federal govern‐ Community Water System Source Informa on ment for military use. According to the water rights claim, water JBLM Well Source was first appropriated from the Sequalitchew Spring source in Janu‐ DOH Source ID# Name Type Source Use ary 1918. This was the original source of water for Camp Lewis, and con nues to be the largest water producer to this day. The drinking water is produced from these groundwater sources that are de‐ Sequalitchew S01 Spring Permanent rived, and naturally filtered by alterna ng aquifers. Recharge Springs (replenishing) of the aquifers comes from local rainfall in the Clo‐ ver/Chambers drainage basin within Pierce County.

S06 Well 12A Well Permanent The JBLM Lewis system supplies water to a day me popula on S08 Well 14 Well Seasonal of over 55,000 people with one primary drinking water source lo‐ cated at Sequalitchew Spring and seven secondary drinking water S09 Well 17 Well Seasonal source groundwater wells in other various loca ons. The secondary source wells are available for use during peak demand periods or S10 Well 13 Well Seasonal for emergency opera ons. There are three other small drinking wa‐ ter systems that supply the Golf Course (PWSID: 462312), Ammo S11 Well 12B Well Permanent Supply Point (PWSID: 46241A), and Range 17 (PWSID: AB008D).

Each is served via a single source well with the excep on of the Am‐ S14 Well 20 Well Seasonal mo Supply Point, which has two source wells.

S15

MAMC Well 4

Well

Seasonal

Water Treatment Process The water treatment plant for JBLM Lewis is adjacent to the Sequalitchew Springs source. The plant provides chlorina on, fluorida on and corrosion control treatment for Sequalitchew Springs and Wells No. 12A and 12B. The remainder of the JBLM Lewis drinking water wells are treated with sodium hypo‐ chlorite and fluorosilicic acid prior to entering the distribu on system.

3. Fluorida on Fluorosilicic acid is added to the water help prevent tooth de‐ cay. Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavi es (also called tooth decay) by about 25% in children and adults. For more informa on please visit the following links: h p://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/ DrinkingWater/FluorideinDrinkingWater h ps://www.cdc.gov/fluorida on/index.html

4. Corrosion Control

Polyphosphate is added to the water to inhibit corrosion as well 1. pH Adjustment The treatment process u lizes stripping towers to remove nat‐ as to provide the secondary benefit of binding with iron and ural carbon dioxide, which raises the pH from 6.6 to 7.6 range. manganese to prevent release of minerals.

Water with a pH lower than 6.5 could be acidic, so , and corro‐ sive. Acidic water can cause premature damage to metal pip‐ Contacts For ques ons about ing, and have associated aesthe c problems such as a metallic your water: WA Department of Health or sour taste.

JBLM Public Works

2. Chlorina on A 12.5 percent sodium hypochlorite solu on is added to the water before it enters the clearwell to provide disinfec on and to maintain a chlorine residual in the clearwell. WADOH re‐ quires the system to maintain disinfec on of the Sequalitchew Springs source to provide virus inac va on.

Water Systems Manager 253‐966‐1692 Drinking Water Purveyor 253‐966‐1768 Madigan Environmental Health Service 253‐968‐4331

1‐800‐525‐0127 h p://www.doh.wa.gov/ EPA Region 10 1‐800‐424‐4372 1‐800‐426‐4791 (Safe Drinking Water Hotline) h ps://www.epa.gov

Why Are There Contaminants in My Drinking Water?

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bo led 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, radioac ve material, and can pick up sub‐ stances resul ng from the presence of animals or from human ac vity.

Drinking water, including bo led water, may reasona‐ bly be expected to contain at least small amounts of some con‐ taminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More informa on about contaminants and poten al health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1‐800‐426‐4791.

SPECIAL NOTICE Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general popula on. Immunocompromised 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 par cularly at risk from infec ons. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infec on by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1‐ 800‐426‐4791).

Safe Drinking Water Hotline

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

Poten al Contaminants

Type

Microbial

Viruses &

Contaminants

Bacteria

Inorganic Chemical

Salts & Metals

Organic Chemical (Pes cides & Herbicides)

Pes cides & Herbicides

Sources Viruses, bacteria and other microbes that may come from sewage treatment plants, sep c systems, agricultural livestock opera ons, and wildlife.

Naturally occurring or result rom urban storm water runoff, industrial or domes c wastewater discharges, oil and gas produc on, mining, or farming.

Chemical substances resul ng from a variety of sources, such as agricultural and urban storm water runoff, and residen al uses.

Substances including synthe c and vola le organic chemicals, which are by‐

Organic Chemical

Synthe c &

(Synthe c & Vola le)

Vola le

Radioac ve

products of industrial processes and petroleum produc on, and also may come from gas sta ons, urban storm water runoff, and sep c systems.

Natural & Man

Substances that can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas

Made Deposits

produc on, and mining ac vi es.

Informa on the EPA and WA Department of Health Would Like You to Know. groundwater contamina on in these areas, JBLM operates a groundwater remedia on pump and treat system. There has The SWAP evaluates poten al threats to the safety of our wa� been great success in containing the TCE plume(s) over me ter supplies by assessing sources of contamina on. Addi onal and reducing the threat of TCE contamina on to the drinking informa on is provided in the form of assessment reports and water supplies.

GIS coverage and can be found at:

Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP)

http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater/ SourceWater/SourceWaterProtection.aspx Interactive Map: https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/eh/maps/SWAP/index.html JBLM McChord Field primary and seasonal drinking water sources have susceptibility ratings ranging from low to high.

Historically the higher susceptibility is associated with wells in closer proximity to trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated groundwater. In the past, TCE a colorless solvent, was used primarily in industrial processes to remove grease from metal parts and in dry cleaning opera ons. In order to reduce TCE

Nitrate

LEAD

Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and compo‐ may rise quickly for short periods of me because of rainfall or nents associated with service lines and home plumbing. Joint agricultural ac vity. If you are caring for an infant, you should Base Lewis McChord is responsible for providing high quality ask for advice from your health care provider.

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 con nues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentra ons and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems.

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 thirty seconds to two 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.

Water Quality Analysis

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regula ons 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 protec on of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutri onal value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from tes ng 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 concentraons of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type

of contamina on. As such, some of our data, though representa ve, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbrevia ons that might not be familiar to you.

To help you be er understand these terms, we have provided the defini ons below the table.

Contaminants

MCLG MCL, Detect In or TT, or Your MRDLG MRDL Water

Range Low High

Sample Viola on Date

Typical Source

Disinfectants & Disinfec on By‐Products (There is convincing evidence that addi on of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants) By‐product of drink‐ TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes 8.7 .4 8.7 2017 No NA 80 ing water disinfec on (ppb) Haloace c Acids (HAA5) (ppb)

NA

60

ND

ND

ND

2017

No

By‐product of drink‐ ing water chlorina on

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics produc on wastes

No

Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits

Inorganic Contaminants

Arsenic (ppb)

Barium (ppm)

0

2

10

2

5.37

.0061

.029

5.37

.00168 .0061

2017

2017

MCLG MCL, Detect In or TT, or Contaminants MRDLG MRDL Your Water

Range Low

High

Sample Date Viola on

Typical Source

Inorganic Contaminants (con nued) Arsenic (ppb)

Barium (ppm)

Beryllium (ppb)

0

2

4

10

2

4

5.37

.0061

.03

.029

5.37

.00168 .0061

NA

.03

2017

2017

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics produc on wastes

No

Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits

No

Discharge from metal refineries and coal‐ burning factories; Discharge from electri‐ cal, aerospace, and defense industries

Cadmium (ppb)

5

5

.405

NA

.405

2017

No

Corrosion of galvanized pipes; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from metal refineries; runoff from waste ba eries and paints

Chromium (ppb)

100

100

1.03

NA

1.03

2017

No

Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Ero‐ sion of natural deposits

Copper ‐ source water (ppm)

NA

5.03

2017

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

.00015 .00503

MCLG MCL, or TT, or Contaminants MRDLG MRDL

Detect In Your Wa‐ ter

Range Low

Sample High Date

Viola‐ on

Typical Source

Inorganic Contaminants (con nued) Fluoride (ppm) Lead ‐ source water (ppm)

4

4

NA

.18

NA

.18

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Water addi ve which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fer lizer and aluminum factories

2.34

NA

.00234

2017

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Mercury [Inorganic] (ppb)

2

2

.05

NA

.05

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from refineries and factories; Runoff from land‐ fills; Runoff from cropland

Nitrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm)

10

10

1.4

NA

1.4

2017

No

Runoff from fer lizer use; Leaching from sep c tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural de‐ posits

Selenium (ppb)

50

50

.33

NA

.33

2017

No

Discharge from petroleum and metal refin‐ eries; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from mines

Sodium (op onal) (ppm)

NA

8.5

NA

8.5

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching

Contaminants

MCLG MCL, or TT, or Detect In MRDLG MRDL Your Water

Range Low

Sample High Date

NA

.61

Typical Source Viola on

Radioac ve Contaminants Radium (combined 226/228) (pCi/L)

0

5

.61

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Your Water

1,1,1‐ Trichloroethane (ppb)

200

200

1,1,2‐ Trichloroethane (ppb)

3

1,1‐Dichloroethylene (ppb) 1,2,4‐ Trichlorobenzene (ppb)

Contaminants

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits

Viola on

Typical Source

ND

No

Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories

5

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

7

7

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

70

70

ND

No

Discharge from tex le‐finishing factories

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Your Water

1,2‐ Dichloroethane (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

1,2‐ Dichloropropane (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

2,4,5‐TP (Silvex) (ppb)

50

50

ND

No

Residue of banned herbicide

2,4‐D (ppb)

70

70

ND

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Alachlor (ppb)

0

2

ND

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Alpha emi ers (pCi/L)

0

15

ND

No

Erosion of natural deposits

An mony (ppb)

6

6

ND

No

Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceram‐ ics; electronics; solder; test addi on.

Atrazine (ppb)

3

3

ND

No

Runoff from herbicide used on row crops

Benzene (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from factories; Leaching from gas storage tanks and landfills

Contaminants

Viola on

Typical Source

Contaminants

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Your Water

Viola on

Typical Source

Benzo(a)pyrene (ppt)

0

200

ND

No

Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and distribu on lines

Carbon Tetra‐ chloride (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial ac vi es

Chlordane (ppb)

0

2

ND

No

Residue of banned termi cide

Chlorobenzene (monochloroben zene) (ppb)

100

100

ND

No

Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical factories

Dalapon (ppb)

200

200

ND

No

Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way

Di (2‐ethylhexyl) adipate (ppb)

400

400

ND

No

Discharge from chemical factories

Di (2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (ppb)

0

6

ND

No

Discharge from rubber and chemical factories

Endrin (ppb)

2

2

ND

No

Residue of banned insec cide

Ethylbenzene (ppb)

700

700

ND

No

Discharge from petroleum refineries

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Your Water

Viola on

Heptachlor (ppt)

0

400

ND

No

Residue of banned pes cide

Heptachlor epoxide (ppt)

0

200

ND

No

Breakdown of heptachlor

Hexachlorobenzene (ppb)

0

1

ND

No

Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural chemical factories

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene (ppb)

50

50

ND

No

Discharge from chemical factories

Lindane (ppt)

200

200

ND

No

Runoff/leaching from insec cide used on ca le, lumber, gardens

Methoxychlor (ppb)

40

40

ND

No

Runoff/leaching from insec cide used on fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock

Nitrite [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm)

1

1

ND

No

Runoff from fer lizer use; Leaching from sep c tanks, sewage; Ero‐ sion of natural deposits

PCBs [Polychlorinated biphen‐ yls] (ppt)

0

500

ND

No

Runoff from landfills; Discharge of waste chemicals

Pentachlorophenol (ppb)

0

1

ND

No

Discharge from wood preserving factories

Picloram (ppb)

500

500

ND

No

Herbicide runoff

Simazine (ppb)

4

4

ND

No

Herbicide runoff

Styrene (ppb)

100

100

ND

No

Discharge from rubber and plas c factories; Leaching from landfills

Tetrachloroethylene (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from factories and dry cleaners

Thallium (ppb)

.5

2

ND

No

Discharge from electronics, glass, and Leaching from ore‐processing sites; drug factories

Contaminants

Typical Source

MCLG MCL, Your Viola on or TT, or Water MRDLG MRDL

Contaminants

Typical Source

Toluene (ppm)

1

1

ND

No

Discharge from petroleum factories

Toxaphene (ppb)

0

3

ND

No

Runoff/leaching from insec cide used on co on and ca le

Trichloroethylene (ppb)

0

5

ND

No

Discharge from metal degreasing sites and other factories

Vinyl Chloride (ppb)

0

2

ND

No

Leaching from PVC piping; Discharge from plas cs factories

cis‐1,2‐Dichloroethylene (ppb)

70

70

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

o‐Dichlorobenzene (ppb)

600

600

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

p‐Dichlorobenzene (ppb)

75

75

ND

No

Discharge from industrial chemical factories

Microbiological Contaminants

Contaminants

E. coli (RTCR) ‐ in the distribu on system

MCLG or MRDLG

0

MCL, TT, or MRDL Rou ne and repeat samples are total coliform posi ve and either is E. coli ‐ posi ve or system fails to take repeat samples following E. coli posi‐ ve rou ne sample or system fails to analyze to‐ tal coliform posi ve repeat sample for E. coli.

Your Sample Viola‐ Water Date on

0

2017

No

Typical Source Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way

Secondary Contaminants The Environmental Protec on Agency has established Na onal Secondary Drinking Water Regula ons (NSDWRs) that set non‐ mandatory water quality standards for 15 contaminants. EPA does not enforce exceedances of these "secondary maximum con‐ taminant levels" (SMCLs). They are established only as guidelines to assist public water systems in managing their drinking water for aesthe c considera ons, such as taste, color and odor. These contaminants are not considered to present a risk to human health at the SMCL. Water systems may experience increased levels of secondary contaminants in associa on with changes in pressure, system maintenance and intermi ent use of seasonally operated source wells. Examples of secondary contaminants in potable water supplies include iron or rust that may turn water brownish‐red and give it an undesirable metallic taste, while

Contaminants

Secondary MCL

Low

High

Exceedance

15 (color units)

ND

ND

No

Copper

1.0 mg/L

.00015 mg/L

.00503 mg/L

No

Fluoride

2.0 mg/L

ND

.18 mg/L

No

Iron

0.3 mg/L

ND

1.13 mg/L

Yes

Naturally occurring

Manganese

0.05 mg/L

ND

.147 mg/L

Yes

Naturally occurring

6.5‐8.5

5.95

7.42

Yes

Silver

0.10 mg/L

ND

ND

No

Sulfate

250 mg/L

1.2

13 mg/L

Total Dissolved Solids

500 mg/L

53

160 mg/L

No

5 mg/L

ND

.0468 mg/L

No

Color

pH

Zinc

Explana on and Comment

Naturally occurring Naturally occurring

Contaminants MCLG

AL

Sample Date

Your Water

# Samples Exceeding AL

Exceeds AL

Typical Source

Lead and Copper (Ac on Level at Consumer Taps) Copper ‐ ac on lev‐ el at consumer taps (ppm) Lead ‐ ac on level at consumer taps (ppb)

1.3

1.3

.37

2016

0

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

0

15

1

2016

0

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

2015 Unregulated Contaminate Monitoring (UCMR3) As part of an on‐going evalua on program the EPA has required us to monitor some addi onal contaminants/chemicals. Infor‐ ma on collected through the monitoring of these contaminants/chemicals will help to ensure that future decisions on drinking water standards are based on sound science .

Range Reported Level

Low

High

chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) (ppb)

.15

N/D

.15

strontium (ppb)

52

N/D

52

vanadium (ppb)

3.5

N/D

3.5

Name

2017 Voluntary Monitoring for Perfluorinated Compounds In May 2016, the EPA issued a life me Health Advisory Level of 70 ppt for individual or combined concentra ons of Perfluoro‐ heptanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water. JBLM Leadership is commi ed to providing safe drinking water for everyone served by JBLM water systems. They are working to iden fy, fix, and prevent adverse impacts created by these chemicals in JBLM’s water supply.

Name Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid

EPA Health Advisory Level

Detected Range in Distribution System Low

High

N/A

2.4

3.1

N/A

N/D

10

N/A

2

20

N/A

N/D

N/D

70

8.3

23

70

N/D

10

PFBS (ppt) Perfluoroheptanoic acid PFHpA (ppt) Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid PFHxS (ppt) Perfluorononanoic acid PFNA (ppt) PFOS (ppt) Perfluoroheptanoic acid PFOA (ppt)

EPA Health Advisory Level Health advisory levels include a significant margin of safety to ensure they are protec‐ ve of the most sensi ve popula ons. Un‐ l more research is conducted to confirm or rule out the possible associa ons be‐ tween PFOA and PFOS exposure and po‐ ten al nega ve health effects, the Army is being proac ve and reducing PFOA and PFOS exposure to the extent possible. If you have concerns about your health or the health of your family members please contact your primary healthcare provider or pediatrician.

The data presented in these tables are from tes ng 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 concentra ons of these contaminants do not vary signifi‐ cantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamina on. As such, some of our data, though representa ve, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbrevia ons that might not be fa‐ miliar to you. To help you be er understand these terms, we have provided the defini ons below the table.

Unit Descrip ons Term

Defini on

ppm

ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

ppb

ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L)

ppt

ppt: parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter

pCi/L

pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioac vity)

NTU

NTU: Nephelometric Turbidity Units. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water.

We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effec veness of our filtra on system.

NA

NA: not applicable

ND

ND: Not detected

NR

NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.

posi ve samples

posi ve samples/yr: The number of posi ve samples taken that year

Important Drinking Water Defini ons Term

Defini on

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 wa‐ ter. 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: Ac on Level: The concentra on of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

Variances and Exemp‐ Variances and Exemp ons: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique un‐ ons der certain condi ons.

MRDLG

MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfec on 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 wa‐ ter. There is convincing evidence that addi on of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

MNR

MNR: Monitored Not Regulated

MPL

MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level

Informa on You Should Know about Water Contaminants and Monitoring Federal and State health regula‐ ons require that public drinking water providers have their water quality tested using EPA approved methods by a state cer fied laboratory on a regular schedule. In accordance with a sampling schedule dictated by the Washington Administra ve Code (WAC), DPW has established a sampling and analysis program for each drink‐ ing water well and the water distribu on system. The WAC requires community systems to test for various contaminates including chlorine, fluoride, disinfec on byproducts, microbial organisms, arsenic, lead and copper, pes cides, nitrates, radio‐ logical and vola le organics.

safe op mum range in order to avoid possible side effects such as dental fluorosis (mo ling).

Microbial Tes ng. Every month at least 80 microbial samples are tested for the presence of total coliform bacteria and fecal coliform bacteria. Of the over 1000 bacteriological samples col‐ lected and processed in 2016, none tested posi ve for total coliform bacteria or fecal coliform bacteria.

Disinfec on Byproducts. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) and five Halo‐Ace c Acids (HAA5) are the most common type of disinfec on byproducts. The stage I and II Disinfectant and Dis‐ infec on Byproduct Rules established by the EPA require Pub‐ lic Water Systems to monitor for two groups of chlorinated by‐ Chlorine is added to our water to control microbial growth safe products which may occur in chlorinated water. levels and are monitored daily at each ac ve drinking water source and throughout the distribu on system. Consuming wa‐ ter containing chlorine levels in excess of recommended levels could cause irrita ng effects to the eyes, nose and stomach discomfort.

Fluoride is added to water to help prevent tooth decay. Fluo‐ ride levels are monitored daily to ensure they are within the

Lead and Copper Rule Tes ng. JBLM community public water systems must monitor lead and copper levels in drinking water.

DOH requires monitoring to minimize the amount of lead and copper consumers get from drinking water. Unlike other con‐ taminants, lead and copper do not commonly occur in source water. Instead, they result when building plumbing, faucets, and water fixtures corrode. Therefore, the purpose of this mon‐ itoring is to determine if water systems are distribu ng corro‐ sive water. Systems with corrosive water must inves gate and determine the best way to control corrosion.

The current sampling frequency for Lead and Copper Analytes includes at least 30 samples to be collected once eve‐ ry three years. The most recent round of sampling included 35 samples at loca ons around JBLM in 2016. None of these sam‐ ples exceeded Federal Ac on Levels (AL).

Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). The Un‐ regulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) provides EPA and other interested par es with scien fically valid data on the occurrence of contaminants in drinking water. UCMR3 sam‐ pling occurred during 2013‐2015.

Special Sampling for Perflourinated Alklyl Substances (PFAS).

As part of the Army’s commitment to supplying quality drinking water to its Service members, Family Members, and Civilians, the Army implemented a comprehensive PFOS and PFOA tes ng program. Based on tes ng completed in 2016, Well 17 near the DuPont Gate on Lewis Main exceeded the new EPA advisory level. This seasonal well wasn’t turned on in 2017. It remains turned off and isolated from the JBLM drinking water system. All other JBLM‐Lewis drinking water wells and springs test results fell below the EPA LHA.

Conserva on and Sustainability Approach As JBLM and surrounding communi es con nue to grow, the demand for water increases along with the need for conserva on. Water conserva on levels ensure a sustainable water supply exists for present and future training needs at JBLM (FL Regula on 11‐5). In 2017, irriga on conserva on measures were developed according to specific soil condi ons, plant needs, and historic water demand. By determining soils’ water loss through evapora on and bal‐ ancing that with plant needs, effec ve irriga on methods were iden fied to ensure op mum water uptake by the root systems during mes of drought or diminished water supply.

Water Conserva on Levels At certain mes of the year, JBLM may be subjected to drought condi ons or periods of diminished water supplies.

This can affect water produc on capabili es for mee ng water supply demands. To meet water needs, individuals in the JBLM community are required to reduce outdoor water use as outlined by water conserva on levels. JBLM strives to meet Execu ve Order water conserva on goals, Army Net Zero Water goals, apply water conserva on. best prac‐ ces, and sustain our quality of life in the Pacific Northwest.

Irriga on allowed  Irriga on allowed from 0700‐0900 OR 1700‐2000  10 minutes in front yard and 10 minutes back yard  Do not allow water to run into storm drains  Do not water if raining

 Private vehicle washing not permi ed ‐ Use commercial car wash

The number of days between irriga on change based on conserva on levels as shown in weekly schedules below.

Level I (Green)

Areas

 Secure water supplies for mission

McChord Field‐Even Housing #

support while maintaining Water Efficiency requirements

 Irrigation replaces plant watering for optimum growth (GREEN Level II (Amber)

 Occurs during drought conditions or diminished water supply

 Reduced irrigation still ensures

SUN

MON X

McChord Field‐Odd Housing #

MON

McChord Field‐Even Housing #

X X

X WED

THU

X FRI

X

McChord Field‐Odd Housing #

X

X X

SAT X

X

plant growth under these conditions Lewis Main (the grass will still be green)

SAT

X

X

TUES

FRI

X

X SUN

THU

X

X

Lewis North

Lewis North

WED

X

Lewis Main

Areas

TUES

X X

Level III (Red) 

Outdoor water use not allowed.



Washing limited to commercial car wash facili es using recycled water.

Water use is restricted to that required for human health, fire protec on, permi ed landscape areas and mission support opera‐ ons. Some irriga on exemp ons are permi ed with wri en permission from the JBLM Water Program.

Play Your Part, Be Water Smart Source Water Protec on Tips Water use Reduc on and Source Protec on Tips

only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month

Protec on and conserva on of drinking water  is everyone’s responsibility. You can do your  part in several ways:

Water plants only when necessary.

fer lizers and pes cides ‐ they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.



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.

 Pick up a er your pets.

Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is wa‐  Dispose of chemicals properly; take used tered. Apply water only as fast as the soil motor oil to a recycling center. can absorb it and during the cooler parts  Pick up a er your pets of the day to reduce evapora on.

Visit www.epa.gov/watersense and h p:// Teach your kids about water conserva‐ www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/ws/ on to ensure a future genera on that wtrcnsv.html for more informa on. uses water wisely. Make it a family effort to reduce next month's water bill!



Run your clothes washer and dishwasher 

Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden



Help us make a difference now and for the future.

Using water efficiently and avoiding waste, is essen al to ensure that we have adequate water today and into the future. Water is a finite resource and the supplies on Earth today are no more than what was here at the begin‐ ning of the planet.

Frequently Asked Ques ons Sometimes customers notice that their tap water has a brownish, yellow, or rusty color. The off color is often first noticed against a white background, such as a sink, bathtub, or toilet, and usually appears suddenly. In most areas of Joint Base Lewis‐McChord, changes in water quality are localized and temporary, generally caused by some nearby activity.

Is discolored water safe to drink? There is no indica on that the dis‐ colored water is unsafe. However, in the event of an unusual episode of discolored water, JBLM recommends that residents avoid drinking the water un l the appearance has returned to normal. It’s also best to postpone doing laundry un l the water has cleared up because the residue can stain clothing.

How can I get rid of discolored water? The first step is to flush out the household plumbing. This is best accomplished by turning on sev‐ eral cold water taps and le ng them run for 10 to 20 minutes. JBLM does not recommend running the hot water as it may result in pulling sediment into the water heater. If the problem doesn’t clear up, wait about 30 minutes and flush the taps again.

vi es include water main repairs, construc on, power outages, and opening or closing a fire hydrant or valve. Hydrants are rou nely opened to flush a water main a er repair, address a water quality problem, fill a street sweeper or other mobile tank, or to exercise the valves to ensure fire protec on. JBLM crews try to flush water mains on a regular basis as part of our preven ve maintenance program.

The schedule for any planned flushing program is publicized in ad‐ vance to alert residents to possible water quality effects in their neighborhood. Some parts of JBLM, especially older areas, are served by iron water mains that have become rusty over me. To correct this problem, corrosion‐resistant pipes are now used in the distribu‐ on system when possible and older water mains will be upgraded as they are replaced.

Doesn’t flushing the water mains and household plumbing waste wa‐ ter? Although JBLM encourages responsible water use, achieving and maintaining good water quality must some me take precedence over conserva on. Any water used beneficially is not truly wasted, and flushing water mains and home plumbing is some mes necessary. At What causes brown water? “Brown” or discolored water is usually home, you can conserve by flushing the taps into large containers and caused by deposits, sediment, or rust that may have accumulated in using the water for plants, or by using the sprinklers or garden hose the water mains over me (see secondary contaminants sec on). Any to flush the pipes and water the lawn or garden at the same me. ac vity that disturbs the pipes or results in a rapid change in water pressure can cause a temporary discolora on of the water. Such ac‐

Get Involved. Your Work and Opinions Ma er!

Much of the language in this report is required by the Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA), but we’ve done what we can to make it easier to understand and read. If you are interested in learning more about your water service and water quality at JBLM, or have sugges ons on how we could improve this report, please feel free to contact the Water Program Manager at JBLM Public Works Environmental Division at (253) 967‐1768.

JOINT BASE LEWIS‐MCCHORD 2017 DRINKING WATER REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE 1 JULY 2018 DPW is no longer distribu ng the annual Drinking Water Reports in bulk mailing to resi‐ dents of JBLM. Customers will be able to view the JBLM‐Lewis Main and McChord Field water quality reports online.

JBLM MWR h p://www.jblmmwr.com/ h p://www.jblmmwr.com/calendar/

For the JBLM Lewis Main and North report: h p://www.lewis‐mcchord.army.mil/publicworks/docs/envir/LewisH2O.pdf For the JBLM McChord Field report: h p://www.lewis‐mcchord.army.mil/publicworks/docs/envir/McChordH2O.pdf

Facebook JBLM Community Outreach h ps://www.facebook.com/ SOSWASTATE

This report contains important informa on about the sources and quality of your drink‐ ing water. Please call 253‐967‐1768 if you would like a paper copy of this report sent to your home.