Lewis Official Water Report 2019 - JBLM

2018 WATER QUALITY REPORT JBLM-LEWIS (Main/North) Public Water System 26050 / Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA

Conservation and Sustainability Approach As JBLM and surrounding communities continue to grow, the demand for water increases along with the need for conservation. Water conservation levels ensure a sustainable water supply exists for present and future training needs at JBLM (FL Regulation 11-5). In 2017, irrigation conservation measures were developed according to specific soil conditions, plant needs, and historic water demand. By determining soils’ water loss through evaporation and balancing that with plant needs, effective irrigation methods were identified to ensure optimum water uptake by the root systems during times of drought or diminished water supply.

Water Conservation Levels At certain times of the year, JBLM may be subjected to drought conditions or periods of diminished water supplies. This can affect water production capabilities for meeting water supply demands. To meet water needs, individuals in the JBLM community are required to reduce outdoor water use as outlined by water conservation levels. JBLM strives to meet Executive Order water conservation goals, Army Net Zero Water goals, apply water conservation. best practices, and sustain our quality of life in the Pacific Northwest.

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

Level I (Green)

Areas



Secure water supplies for mission support while maintaining Water Efficiency requirements



Irrigation replaces plant watering for optimum growth (GREEN GRASS)

SUN

McChord Field-Even Housing #

MON

TUE

X



McChord Field-Odd Housing # Lewis Main

X

MON

X

TUE

McChord Field-Even Housing #



Reduced irrigation still ensures plant growth under these conditions (the grass will still be green)

McChord Field-Odd Housing #



Use car washes with recycled water

Lewis Main

SAT

X

X X

X SUN

FRI X

X

Areas

Occurs during drought conditions or diminished water supply

THU

X

Lewis North Level II (Amber)

WED

X WED

THU

X FRI

SAT

X

X

X

X

X

Lewis North

X

X X

Level III (Red) 

Outdoor water use not allowed.



Washing limited to commercial car wash facilities using recycled water.

Water use is restricted to that required for human health, fire protection, permitted landscape areas and mission support operations. Some irrigation exemptions are permitted with written permission from the JBLM Water Program.

Irrigation

 Irrigation allowed from 0700-0900 OR 1700-2000

 Do not water if raining

 10 minutes in front yard and 10 minutes back yard

 Private vehicle washing not permitted - Use commercial car

 Do not allow water to run into storm drains

wash

Keep in mind these levels must be followed during current critical conditions; however, it’s recommended to practice using less water.

Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) 2018 WATER QUALITY REPORT Public Water System 26050 / Joint Base Lewis‐McChord, WA

Is My Water Safe?

The Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Directorate of Public Works (DPW) produces and distributes drinking water from systems permitted 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 Protection Agency (EPA) requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (40 CFR 141.155[a]) and Washington State Department of Health (DOH) requirements (Washington Administrative 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.

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).

DOH Source ID# S01 S06 S08 S09 S10 S11 S14 S15

Where does my water come from?

JBLM (formerly Fort Lewis) began as Camp Lewis in 1917 when the land was donated by Pierce County to the federal government for military use. According to the water rights claim, water was first appropriated from the Sequalitchew Spring source in January 1918. This was the original source of water for Camp Lewis, and continues to be the largest water producer to this day. The drinking water is produced from these groundwater sources that are derived, and naturally filtered by alternating aquifers.

Recharge (replenishing) of the aquifers comes from local rainfall in the Clover/Chambers drainage basin within Pierce County.

The JBLM Lewis system supplies water to a daytime population of over 55,000 people with one primary drinking water source located at Sequalitchew Spring and seven secondary drinking water source groundwater wells in other various locations. The secondary source wells are available for use during peak demand periods or for emergency operations. There are three other small drinking water systems that supply the Golf Course (PWSID: 462312), Ammo Supply Point (PWSID: 46241A), and Range 17 (PWSID: AB008D). Each is served via a single source well with the exception of the Ammo Supply Point, which has two source wells.

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

French (Francais) Ce rapport contient des informations importantes sur votre eau potable. Traduisez-le ou parlez en avec quequ'un qui le comprend bien.

JBLM‐LEWIS (PWS 26505) Community Water System Source Informa on JBLM Well Name Source Type Sequalitchew Springs Spring Well 12A Well Well 14 Well Well 17 Well Well 13 Well Well 12B Well Well 20 Well MAMC Well 4 Well

Source Use Permanent Permanent Seasonal Seasonal Seasonal Permanent Seasonal Seasonal

Water Treatment Process The water treatment plant for JBLM Lewis is adjacent to the Sequalitchew Springs source. The plant provides chlorination, fluoridation 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 hypochlorite and fluorosilicic acid prior to entering the distribution system.

1. pH Adjustment The treatment process utilizes stripping towers to remove natural carbon dioxide, which raises the pH from 6.6 to 7.6 range. Water with a pH lower than 6.5 could be acidic, soft, and corrosive.

Acidic water can cause premature damage to metal piping, and have associated aesthetic problems such as a metallic or sour taste.

2. Chlorination A 12.5 percent sodium hypochlorite solution is added to the water before it enters the clearwell to provide disinfection and to maintain a chlorine residual in the clearwell. WADOH requires the system to maintain disinfection of the Sequalitchew Springs source to provide virus inactivation.

3. Fluoridation Fluorosilicic acid is added to the water help prevent tooth decay.

Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities (also called tooth decay) by about 25% in children and adults. For more information please visit the following links: http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/ DrinkingWater/FluorideinDrinkingWater https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html 4. Corrosion Control Polyphosphate is added to the water to inhibit corrosion as well as to provide the secondary benefit of binding with iron and manganese to prevent release of minerals.

Significant Deficiencies During 2018, JBLM Public Works continued to address repairs needed to address uncorrected significant deficiencies found during the sanitary survey that was conducted on June 16, July 16, July 30, and August 11, 2015. Uncorrected significant deficiencies for JBLM PWSID 26050 Q include the following ongoing projects: Sequalitchew Spring Well (S01) - Several cuts in the plastic lining used to cover the insulation in the walls of the spring chamber were identified. These cuts exposed loose insulation, which is potential harborage for rodents. The loose insulation must be covered or removed.

Sequalitchew Spring Well (S01) - Openings into the spring chamber were observed along a discharge piping. All of these openings must be closed to prevent potential animal access to the springs.

Sequalitchew Spring Water Treatment Plant - The clearwell roof at Sequalitchew spring showed had at least one large crack filled with growing grasses. To prevent surface water from getting into the clearwell the grasses must be removed and the cracks sealed.

Well 13 (S10) - A fine mesh screen must be installed to remedy an unprotected well vent.

Davis Hill Reservoir - Reservoir overflows are piped to a common discharge pipe that requires installation of either a screen or a flapper gate.

MAMC Well 4 (S15) - While the well is under ownership by the Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) the use of the well for potable purposes historically has been under the control of JBLM Public Works through an agreement with MAMC regarding the decision to send the water from the well into the hospital where it would come into contact with staff and patients. It was apparent from the site visit that MAMC and JBLM Public Works staff were unfamiliar with the agreement. There has been significant turnover of staff at Public Works that are responsible for the water system. It is not clear whether MAMC has staff qualified to send disinfected potable water into the hospital. The agreement between MAMC and Public Works must be resurrected and revised, if necessary, to ensure proper delivery of potable water to the hospital from the well in the event of an emergency.

Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) The SWAP evaluates potential threats to the safety of our water supplies by assessing sources of contamination. Additional information is provided in the form of assessment reports and GIS coverage and can be found at: 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 operations. In order to reduce TCE groundwater contamination in these areas, JBLM operates a groundwater remediation pump and treat system. There has been great success in containing the TCE plume(s) over time and reducing the threat of TCE contamination to the drinking water supplies.

Nitrate Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask for advice from your health care provider. More Source Water Assessment Program information on next page →

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.

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. Joint Base Lewis McChord 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 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.

Why are 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.

What Causes Brown Water “Brown� or discolored water is usually caused by deposits, sediment, or rust that may have accumulated in the water mains over time (see secondary contaminants section). Any activity that disturbs the pipes or results in a rapid change in water pressure can cause a temporary discoloration of the water. Such activities include water main repairs, construction, power outages, and opening or closing a fire hydrant or valve. Hydrants are routinely opened to flush a water main after repair, address a water quality problem, fill a street sweeper or other mobile tank, or to exercise the valves to ensure fire protection. JBLM crews try to flush water mains on a regular basis as part of our preventive maintenance program. The schedule for any planned flushing program is publicized in advance 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 time. To correct this problem, corrosion-resistant pipes are now used in the distribution system when possible and older water mains will be upgraded as they are replaced.

Remember This Tip! If You Are Disposing Household Chemicals? Bring Them to Our Recycling Center! http://www.lewis-mcchord.army.mil/publicworks/docs/services/RefuseRecycle RecyclingInfoBrochureCurrent.pdf

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 MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Detect In Your Water

Range Low

High

Sample Date

Violation

Typical Source

Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products (There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants) Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb)

NA

60

2.8

NA

2.8

2018

No

By-product of drinking water chlorination

TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb)

NA

80

16.7

NA

16.7

2018

No

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Arsenic (ppb)

0

10

3

NA

3

2016

No

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

Asbestos (MFL)

7

7

.123

NA

NA

2018

No

Decay of asbestos cement water mains; Erosion of natural deposits

Barium (ppm)

2

2

.1

.1

.4

2016

No

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

Beryllium (ppb)

4

4

.8

NA

.8

2016

No

Discharge from metal refineries and coalburning factories; Discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries

Cadmium (ppb)

5

5

2

NA

2

2016

No

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

Chromium (ppb)

100

100

20

NA

20

2016

No

Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits

Copper - source water (ppm)

NA

.18

NA

.18

2016

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Inorganic Contaminants

Fluoride (ppm)

4

4

.72

NA

.72

2016

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories

Mercury [Inorganic] (ppb)

2

2

.4

NA

400

2016

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from refineries and factories; Runoff from landfills; Runoff from cropland

Contaminants that may be present in source water include: Potential Contaminants

Type

Microbial Contaminants

Viruses & Bacteria

Inorganic Chemical Organic Chemical (Pesticides & Herbicides) Organic Chemical (Synthetic & Volatile) Radioactive

Salts & Metals Pesticides & Herbicides

Sources Viruses, bacteria and other microbes that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.

Naturally occurring or result rom urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.

Chemical substances resulting from a variety of sources, such as agricultural and urban storm water runoff, and residential uses.

Synthetic & Volatile

Substances including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and also may come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.

Natural & Man Made Deposits

Substances that can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production, and mining activities.

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Detect In Your Water

Nitrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm)

10

10

Selenium (ppb)

50

50

Sodium (optional) (ppm)

NA

Contaminants

Range Low

High

Sample Date

Violation

1.81

.1

181

2018

No

Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits

.33

NA

.33

2016

No

Discharge from petroleum and metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from mines

8.5

NA

8.5

2016

No

Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching

.69

NA

.69

2017

No

Erosion of natural deposits

Detect In Your Water

Range

Typical Source

Inorganic Contaminants

Radioactive Contaminants Radium (combined 226/228) (pCi/L)

0

5

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

0

Routine and repeat samples are total coliform positive and either is E. coli - positive or system fails to take repeat samples following E. coli positive routine sample or system fails to analyze total coliform posi-

Total Coliform (RTCR)

NA

Turbidity (NTU)

NA

Contaminants

Low

High

Sample Date

Violation

0

NA

NA

2018

No

Human and animal fecal waste

TT

NA

NA

NA

2018

No

Naturally present in the environment

5

4.4

NA

NA

2018

No

Soil runoff

Typical Source

Microbiological Contaminants

E. coli (RTCR) - in the distribution system

Contaminants

MCLG

AL

Your Water

Sample

# Samples Exceeding AL

Exceeds AL

Typical Source

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

Inorganic Contaminants Copper - action level at consumer taps (ppm) Inorganic Contaminants Lead - action level at consumer taps (ppb)

Undetected Contaminants - The following contaminants wer e monitor ed for , but not detected, in your water .

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL, TT, or MRDL

Your Water

Violation

Typical Source

6

6

ND

No

Discharge from petroleum refineries; fire retardants; ceramics; electronics; solder; test addition.

Cyanide (ppb)

200

200

ND

No

Discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories; Discharge from steel/ metal factories

Lead - source water (ppm)

NA

ND

No

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Contaminants Antimony (ppb)

Additional Monitoring As part of an on-going evaluation program the EPA has required us to monitor some additional contaminants/chemicals. Information collected through the monitoring of these contaminants/chemicals will help to ensure that future decisions on drinking water standards are based on sound science.

Results of voluntary monitoring JBLM conducted voluntary monitoring of a PFAS chemicals that were unregulated contaminants during 2018. While these chemicals are unregulated, EPA issued a health advisory for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in 2016. JBLM You can find out more about PFAS chemicals @ https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-andpfos.

Range Name

Reported Level

Low

High

chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) (ppb)

.15

ND

1.241

perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) (ppb)

.00381

.0021

.0067

perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) (ppb)

.00063

ND

.0029

perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) (ppb)

.00871

.0047

.016

.005

ND

.005

.010175

.0067

.014

strontium (ppb)

55.3

47

60

vanadium (ppb)

2.1

.54

3.7

perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) (ppb) perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (ppb)

Unit Descriptions and Definitions: ppm: par ts per million, or milligr ams per liter (mg/L) ppb: par ts per billion, or micr ogr ams per liter (Âľg/L) ppt: parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) MFL: million fiber s per liter , used to measur e asbestos concentr ation NTU: Nephelometr ic Tur bidity Units. Tur bidity is a measur e of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.

Positive Samples: % positive samples/month: Percent of samples taken monthly that were positive NA: not applicable ND: Not detected NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.

Positive Samples/YR: The number of positive samples taken that year 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: 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: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

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: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.

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: 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: Monitor ed Not Regulated

Questions about your water? Contact us for answers.

Environmental Compliance JBLM Public Works

253-966-1770

Water Systems Manager

253-966-1692

Madigan Environmental Health Service

253-968-4331

EPA Region 10

WA Department of Health

1-800-424-4372 1-800-525-0127 1-800-426-4791 http://www.doh.wa.gov/ (Safe Drinking Water Hotline) https://www.epa.gov

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD 2018 DRINKING WATER REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE 1 JULY 2019 DPW is no longer distributing the annual Drinking Water Reports in bulk mailing to residents of JBLM. Customers will be able to view the JBLM-Lewis Main and McChord Field water quality reports online.

For the JBLM Lewis Main and North report: re https://homeadmin.army.mil/lewis-mcchord/application/ files/2015/6106/2504/CC R_2018_Lewis_DIGI_FINAL.pdf

For the JBLM McChord Field report: https://homeadmin.army.mil/lewis-mcchord/application/ files/6315/6106/2504/CC R_2018_McChord_DIGI_FINAL.pdf