5.4 CCR and water quality

Answer the following questions:
  • What is the source of your drinking water?   Where does your water ORIGINATE?  (It is treated at a water treatment plant, but what watershed or aquifer is the sources of the water?)
    • The major water source originates from spring snow melt that flows down the Tuolumne river and stored in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.  
    • Water stored in the Crystal Springs, San Andreas and Pilarcitos reservoirs are delivered to the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant
  • What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected?
    • The Strontium range level found was 15-210 and the average or max is 63.3.
    • the Chlorate range level found was 75-200 and the average or max is 145.3
  • What chemicals did you NOT expect to find in your water?
    • Aluminum
    • lead
    • copper
  • Are there associated health risks with the chemicals found in your water?  (sources for this last question include the EPA, CDC, ATSDR and the National Library of Medicine's ToxNet program.
    • High levels of naturally occurring strontium, especially during childhood and infancy an have negative affects on bone growth and dental changes. 
    • acute exposure to chlorate can limit the bloods ability to absorb oxygen which can lead to kidney failure 
BLOG about your water quality
  • Where does your water come from? The source! Track it from the source to your tap. 
    • Our water comes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir which is snow melt from the Tuolumne river
  • What did you discover about your water quality?
    • I found out that our water quality is pretty good.  All the water districts reported that 90th percentile concentrations of lead were below the Action Levels of 15ppb
    • All the water districts also met the state and federal standards for coliform bacteria
  • Do you use a filter for your water?
    • I don't use a filter at home for my water
  • What are you trying to filter out?
  • Do you drink bottled water?   How does this square with what you learned when you watched the Story of Bottled Water (see next exercise)?
    • I don't usually drink bottled water on a regular basis

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