Consumer Confidence Report Water Quality Report 2014 | Page 4

Arlington
Water Fact
Table A. Regulated Substances. These substances are regulated or are required to be monitored and were
detected in Arlington tap water in 2014. None of the detected substances exceeded the regulated limits.
Substance
Units Avg. Min. Max. Atrazine ppb 0.12 ND 0.19 3 Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Barium ppm 0.055 0.045 0.059 2 2 Erosion of natural deposits
Bromate 3 ppb <5 <5 <5 10 10
3.5 3.2
Chloramines 2 ppm
MCL
MCLG
Possible Source
Byproduct of drinking water disinfection
3.8 MRDL=4 MRDLG=4 Water additive used to control microbes
Fluoride ppm 0.61 0.49 0.79 4 4 Water additive promoting strong teeth
Nitrate as Nitrogen ppm 0.562 0.16 1.170 10 10 Runoff from fertilizers
Nitrite as Nitrogen ppm 0.016 ND 0.219 1 1 Runoff from fertilizers
Radioactive (2011)
Radium 228
Beta/Photon Emitters
Gross Alpha Particle Activity pCi/L
pCi/L
pCi/L <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 <1.0
<4.0
<2.0 5
50
15 NA
NA
NA Decay of natural, man-made deposits
Decay of natural, man-made deposits
Decay of natural, man-made deposits
% NA ND .55% 5%** NA Naturally present in the environment
Total Coliform 4
Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
Naturally present in the environment
PB Plant (raw)
ppm
5.9
5.5
6.4
ppm
4.0
3.7
4.3
(PB = Pierce-Burch Plant)
PB Plant (drinking)
remov. ratio 0.9 0.7 1.2
PB Removal ratio 5
JK Plant (raw)
JK Plant (drinking)
JK Removal ratio 5
ppm
6.5
ppm
3.9
remov. ratio 1.1
5.6
3.5
0.8 8.6
4.6
1.6
(JK = John F. Kubala Plant)
Total Trihalomethanes 2 ppb 14.4 14 15.4 80 NA By-product of drinking water chlorination
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 2 ppb 5.8 5.6 6.1 60 NA By-product of drinking water chlorination
Turbidity 6
Highest single measurement
NTU
0.13
0.03
0.43
TT=1.0
0
% of samples < 0.3 NTU
%
99.8%
NA
NA
TT=95%
NA

Action No. Sites >
Substance
Units Level Action Level
90th
%-tile Range
Soil runoff
Possible Source
Copper (2012) 1 ppm 1.3 0 0.157 0.003-0.244 Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Lead (2012) 1 ppb 15 0 0.0015 ND-0.0057 Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Instead of MCLs for lead and copper, EPA requires that 90 percent of water samples obtained from customers’ taps contain less than the Action Level for each metal.
Arlington’s most recent survey of the required 50 homes shows no home exceeded the action level (sampling required every 3 years.) 2 Compliance is based on a calculated
local running annual average of all samples at routine sites. 3 Compliance is based on a calculated running annual average of the quarterly averages. 4 Coliform bacteria
are used as indicators of microbial contamination of drinking water because they are easily detected and found in the digestive tract of warm blooded animals. While not
themselves disease producers, they are often found in association with other microbes that are capable of causing disease. Coliform bacteria are more hardy than many
disease-causing organisms. Therefore their absence from water is a good indication that the water is bacteriologically safe for human consumption. **The MCL for total
coliform is the presence of coliform bacteria in 5% or more of the monthly samples. 5 Removal ratio is the percent of TOC removed by the treatment process divided by
the percent of TOC required by TCEQ to be removed. Based on running annual average of ratios. TCEQ requires a removal ratio of ≥1.0. 6 Turbidity has no health effects.
However, it can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms that include
bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.
1
Table
Definitions
Arlington monitors water quality
at over 120 sites around the
city on a monthly basis
Action Level (AL) The concentration
of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements which a water
system must follow.
< (xxx) less than the amount listed.
≥ (xxx) equal to or greater than the amount listed.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) 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.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 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.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG)
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 contamination.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) 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.
NA Not applicable
ND (Not detected) No level of the parameter was
detected.
NE Not established
NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) A unit used
when measuring turbidity, a measure of the cloudiness
of the water.
pCi/L (picocuries per Liter) A measure of radioactivity
in the water.
ppb (parts per billion, ug/L) A unit of measurement
roughly equal to 1 drop in 100,000 gallons.
ppm (parts per million, mg/L) A unit of measurement
roughly equal to 1 drop in 100 gallons.
TT (Treatment Technique) A required process intended
to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.