2009 Stagecoach G.I.D. Quality Water Report

PWS 224 POP. 1411

Is my water safe?

Last year, as in years past, your tap water met all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state drinking water health standards. Local Water vigilantly safeguards its water supplies and once again we are proud to report that our system has not violated a maximum contaminant level or any other water quality standard.

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?

Your water comes from two(2) wells located in Stagecoach.

Source water assessment and its availability

A source water assessment is a brief summary of our waters susceptibility to contamination and is available at the Stagecoach G.I.D.

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 (PDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

How can I get involved?

You may attend monthly S.G.I.D. public meetings.

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.

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.

Boil Water Order

We issued a precautionary boil water order on 12-14-09 due to possible injection of dirt into a main line break. This order only

affected the northeast section of Stagecoach.

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. Stagecoach General Improvement District 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 http://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.

Additional Information for 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.

Water Quality Data Table

The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. The presence of contaminants in the water does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. Unless otherwise noted, die data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EP A or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.

Contaminants

MCLG or MRDLG

MCL,

TT,or MRDL

Your Water

Rj Low

inge High

Sample Date

Violation

Tvoical Source

Disinfectants & Disinfectant By-Products

(There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants)

TTHMs [Total Tribal ome thanes] (ppb)

3.9

0.07

3.9

2009

By-product of drinking water disinfection

Inorganic Contaminants

Arsenic (ppb)

2009

:rosion of natural deposits; Runoff from orchards; Runoff from glass and electronics >roduction wastes

Barium (ppm)

O.I

0.1

2009

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

^rluoride (ppm)

0.1

O.I

2009

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

titrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm)

7.8

2009

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

Selenium (ppb)

2009

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

Chromium (ppb)

100

2009

Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits

Radioactive Contaminants

Alpha emitters (pCi/L)

2007

Erosion of natural deposits

3 eta/photon emitters (pCi/L)

2008

Decay of natural and man-made deposits.

Contaminants

MCLG

Your Water

Sample # Samples Date Exceeding AL

Exceeds AL

Typical Source

norganic Contaminants

Copper - action level at consumer taps (ppm)

1.3

0.32

2008 0

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

-ead - action level at :onsumer taps (ppb)

2008 0

Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits

Undetected Contaminants

The following contaminants were monitored for, but not detected, hi your water.

MCLG

MCL

Your

Contaminants

MRDLG

MRDL

Water

Violation

Typical Source

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (Ppb)

By-product of drinking water chlorination

Unit Descriptions

Term

Definition

ppm

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

ppb

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

pCi/L

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

NA: not applicable

ND: Not detected

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: 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

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:

Contact Name: Joseph L. Seng III

Address:

5000 Navajo Tr.

Stagecoach, NV 89429

Phone: (775)629-0849

Fax: (775)629-0433

E-Mail: SGID@pyramid.net

Website: StagecoachGID.com