Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Burbank?
Yes, Burbank's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Burbank has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Burbank's water utility, Burbank-City, Water Dept, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the Burbank-City, Water Dept water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Burbank Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Burbank tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Burbank's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Burbank Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Burbank-City, Water Dept for Burbank in California. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
Is there Lead in Burbank Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Burbank water system, Burbank-City, Water Dept, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0021 mg/L of lead in Burbank water. This is 14.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Burbank contained more lead.
While Burbank water testing may have found 0.0021 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Burbank Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - DFSP Norwalk - near Burbank with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Burbank has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
Field | Description |
---|---|
Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
Status |
Current status of the violation.
|
Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
|
Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
|
Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
|
Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
|
For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Burbank Water - Frequently Asked Questions
By Phone: | 818-238-3558 |
By Email: | rwilson@burbankca.gov |
By Mail: | 164 W. MAGNOLIA BLVD. BURBANK, CA, 91503 |
Existing customers can login to their Burbank-City, Water Dept account to pay their Burbank water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your Burbank-City, Water Dept bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Burbank water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Burbank water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Burbank means you will often need to put the water in your name with Burbank-City, Water Dept. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Burbank means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Burbank-City, Water Dept. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$2 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Burbank, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Burbank Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Burbank's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
CuJune 2020 rrentsKeep Current on Your
2019
ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT
For over 100 years, Burbank Water and Power (BWP) has provided high-quality water service for the citizens and businesses of Burbank.
We invite you to see how BWP, your
This report shares the resuѴts of thousands of sampѴ;tests being anaѴzed for over 160 eѴements that may be found in drinking water.
In one secঞomof this report, we have
If you have
In This Issue
02 Got a Quesঞon? Ask Tony, Our
03 BWP Removes PFAS from Drinking Water
04 BWP Water Operators Keep Your Tap Water Safe and Clean
- 2019 Annual Water Quality Report
- Burbank’s Water Story Foldout
- Educaঞonal Informaঞon
- ONEBurbank Partners with Visit Burbank
-
COVID-19: We’re Here for You
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua beber. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Այս զեկույցը պարունակում է կարեւոր տեղեկություններ ձեր խմելու ջրի մասին: Խնդրում ենք դիմել ջրի համակարգի հասցեով կամ հեռախոսահամարով հայերենով օգնություն ստանալ համար:
Mahalaga ang impormasyong ito Mangyaring ipasalin ito.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Burbank’s Water Story, pg. 8
Got a Question?
Ask Tony, Our Water-Quality Specialist!
From time to time, Burbank residents have questions about their water. Tony Umphenour, BWP’s most experienced water-quality expert, is delighted to answer those questions!
BWP Removes
PFAS from Drinking Water
You may have heard about PFAS, either from a news report, a post on Nextdoor, or a discussion with a neighbor. PFAS are a large family of
Does BWP test for arsenic?
TONY: Yes, BWP tests for arsenic.
Arsenic was not detectable in the over 25,000
I’m reading about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the water. What are PFAS and should I
be concerned?
TONY: This is an important topic, which is why we included an article on PFAS in this issue of Currents (see next page).
Should I be concerned about
TONY: Purchasing bottled water is a personal choice, but customers should not be concerned about
on by an infected person sneezing or coughing, or through personal contact with an infected person. In last year’s
My water is starting to taste metallic. Should I get my water tested?
TONY: I received this inquiry from a customer who lives in an apartment above a business that had been closed due to the
I suggested the customer run his tap for a few minutes to get the stagnant water out of the system and bring in fresh water. The customer did, and he told me the water tasted fine.
I expect we will get more calls about the taste/smell/color of water, most likely due to stagnant water in the plumbing. I would advise any residential or business customer to run their taps for a few minutes if they detect a different taste, smell, or color
What are PFAS? Sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS have been used for decades in aerospace manufacturing,
PFAS have been widely used in consumer and industrial products since the 1940s, which means those chemicals can be found in nearly every U.S. home and business. Today there are over 5,000 types of PFAS in use worldwide, and their widespread use means there are innumerable ways people can come into contact with PFAS.
Burbank’s PFAS information is shown in the Water Quality Report table on page 7.
The scientific community is still learning about how PFAS may affect human health. But enough is known that companies have voluntarily stopped using two types of PFAS called Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS). Neither of these types of PFAS were detected in Burbank’s water.
Customers can obtain more information about PFAS from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at
Should you be concerned about PFAS in Burbank’s water? No. The two PFAS chemicals that
companies have stopped using, PFOS and PFOA, are not in the water we deliver to our community.
The water that BWP purchases from MWD has one of the 5,000 PFAS chemicals called Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) at a low detection of 2.8 parts per trillion (ppt). One ppt would be equal to one drop of water in 15
Burbank’s PFAS information is shown in the Water Quality Report table on page 7.
For the past two decades, BWP has been removing the extremely low trace amounts of PFAS from our groundwater wells using a granular activated
BWP conducts over 25,000
What’s Next: More stories may be in the news as state and federal regulators tighten the standards for PFAS. Regulations have changed recently for PFOS/PFOA, lowering the Notification Levels and Response Levels. Burbank’s water already meets these new regulations. For more info
We invite you to review other sections of this newsletter to learn more about what BWP does to maintain Burbank’s water quality. And if you do have a question, please email Tony at AUmphenour@burbankca.gov — he’d be glad to help!
2 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com
in their water.
see: Waterboards.ca.gov.
If you have any questions or concerns about PFAS or any other aspect of BWP’s water system, please call our Water Division at (818)
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 3
BWP Water Operators
Keep Your Tap Water
Safe and Clean
BWP’s water operators have a personal passion to serve you. They work hard to ensure Burbank’s water meets, and in many cases exceeds, state and federal requirements for water quality.
To be a water operator takes a strong personal commitment to service. Sometimes, that means sacrifice: some operators have to work on Christmas day, while others have to miss their children’s birthday parties. “I feel the sacrifices are worth it because we are serving the communities’ needs by providing Burbank customers with
Although most of their work days are spent indoors, performing tests and maintaining equipment, operators also work outdoors, checking BWP’s seven underground reservoirs and 17 above- ground
“Many of our 17 storage tanks are located in neighborhoods and our drivers are on a
Water plant operators can also be found in all corners of the City of Burbank, as they perform water quality analysis throughout
the distribution system.
Tim and his fellow water operators enjoy staying sharp by challenging each other with “what if” questions: “What if a pump was to fail or a large fire created a need for additional water supply — what would you do?” Although those “what if” scenarios are
“The water operators take their responsibilities very seriously,” Tim said. “We take pride in serving the public and we are vigilant to ensure the water we deliver is the best it can be.”
“There’s a powerful intrinsic reward that comes from providing a vital service to homes and businesses in the
community,” Tim continued. “Before being employed at BWP, I worked in other jobs where the work was repetitive and boring. The employees tended to have a ‘same stuff, different day’ mentality.”
That’s not the case for BWP’s water operators. “We do a lot of planning and make a lot of adjustments. For example, how does demand for water change with the weather? We’re running measurements and calculations all the time here. We’re huge on math!”
Tim’s final thought: “Water plant operators are proud to serve the community and play an important role in the delivery of high quality water. Every time someone in Burbank takes a drink from their tap they’re interacting with our dedicated water operators.”
Water is essential to life, and BWP’s water operators are essential workers who aid in the reliable delivery of safe and clean water. We have taken proactive steps during the
COVID-19 does not travel through the water supply
Among other things, we created a staggered work schedule that minimized personal interaction between our 10 water operators. Should the need ever arise, our response to future crises will be guided by the lessons we learned during the pandemic.
Tim emphasized that
BWP has a modern and highly automated water system, and dedicated, highly skilled professionals like Tim who test and treat the water before it gets to customers. Water operators perform dozens of tests on the water each week, making sure that hundreds of contaminants are removed before it enters BWP’s
water to customers.
“That’s why I like to live in a City with
Tim recalled that one day when he was out checking on the
Tim called the City’s Animal Control department. When their officer arrived, Tim helped him extract the owl from the netting. “Owls are really beautiful and impressive animals,” Tim said. “The officer had special gloves that protected his hands and arms when working with raptorŊlike owls. While he held the owl, I cut the netting to free it. You don’t want to go near an owl’s talons — they can slice your arm to ribbons.”
“Every day one of our operators is responsible for checking on all of our storage facilities.”
Tim Lyneis, BWP Water Supervisor
4 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com |
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 5 |
2019 mm-Ѵ Water Q-Ѵb|y Report
MICROBIOLOGICAL SAMPLING RESULTS
MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS |
Units |
MCL |
MCLG |
Highest No. of |
No. of months |
Typical Source of Bacteria |
|
det;1ঞom |
in violaঞom |
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||
% |
5.0% |
0% |
0.93% |
0 |
Naturally present in the environment |
||
E. coѴbŐAcute |
(b) |
(b) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Human and animal fecal waste |
|
TotaѴCoѴiform Bacteria (c) |
% |
TT |
NA |
0% |
0 |
Naturally present in the environment |
|
E. coѴb(d) |
(d) |
(d) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Human and animal fecal waste |
|
Heterotrophic PѴate Count (HPC) (e) |
CFU/mL |
TT |
NA |
TT |
NA |
Naturally present in the environment |
SAMPLING RESULTS SHOWING THE DETECTION OF LEAD AND COPPER
CONSTITUENT |
No. of samples |
A1ঞomLevel |
Public Health |
90th percenঞѴ; |
No. Sites |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
collected |
(AL) |
Goal (PHG) |
level detected |
exceeding AL |
|||
|
|
||||||
Lead (ppb) (f ) |
53 |
15 |
0.2 |
ND |
0 |
Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; discharges |
|
Copper (ppm) (f ) |
53 |
1.3 |
0.3 |
0.25 |
0 |
from industrial manufacturers; erosion of natural deposits leaching |
|
from wood preservaࢼves |
SAMPLING RESULTS SHOWING THE DETECTION OF LEAD AT BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (BUSD)
Comvঞ|;nt |
No. of Schools |
A1ঞomLevel |
Public Health |
No. Sites |
No. Sites needing |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
R;t;vঞm]Lead Sampling |
(AL) |
Goal (PHG) |
exceeding AL |
||||
|
|
||||||
Lead (ppb) (g) |
22 |
15 |
0.2 |
0 |
0 |
Internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems; |
|
discharges from industrial manufacturers; erosion of natural |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
deposits leaching from wood preservaࢼves |
DISINFECTION
PARAMETER |
Units |
State MCL |
PHG (MCLG) |
Running Annual |
Lowest - Highest |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
(MRDL) |
(MRDLG) |
Average |
|||||
|
|
|
|
||||
ppb |
80 |
NA |
10 |
5 - 18 |
|||
ppb |
60 |
NA |
1.3 |
ND - 2.5 |
|||
_Ѵoramines (i) |
ppm |
(4) |
(4) |
2.2 |
0.2 - 3.1 |
||
Bromate (i) |
ppb |
10 |
0.1 |
1.9 |
ND – 8.4 |
OTHER PARAMETERS OF INTEREST TO CONSUMERS
PARAMETER |
Units |
State MCL |
PHG |
Burbank Water (j) |
Lowest - |
Typical Source |
|
Highest (k) |
|||||||
ppm |
NA |
NA |
196 |
67 - 200 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
||
Boron |
ppb |
NL = 1,000 |
NA |
160 |
120 - 160 |
Runo@/leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes |
|
ppm |
NA |
NA |
70 |
23 - 75 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
||
_Ѵorate |
ppb |
NL = 800 |
NA |
0.5 |
ND - 42 |
||
processes |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Corrosivity |
AѴ |
NA |
NA |
12.7 |
12.1 - 12.9 |
Elemental balance in water |
|
Hardness as CaCO3 (n) |
ppm |
NA |
NA |
261 |
101 - 281 |
The sum of polyvalent caࢼons present in the water, |
|
generally magnesium and calcium; caࢼons are usually |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Discharge from electroplaࢼng factories, leather tanneries, |
|
HexavaIent Chromium (o) |
ppb |
NA |
0.02 |
2.7 |
ND - 4.0 |
wood preservaࢼon, chemical synthesis, refractory |
|
producࢼon, and teࢼѲe manufacturing faciliࢼes; erosion of |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
natural deposits |
|
Magnesium |
ppm |
NA |
NA |
21 |
11 - 23 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
MoѴ07;ml(p) |
ppb |
NA |
NA |
5.9 |
0 - 6.1 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
ppt |
NA |
NA |
3.2 |
ND – 4.1 |
|||
processes |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
pH |
pH units |
NA |
NA |
8.1 |
7.7 - 8.5 |
Acidity and alkalinity of water |
|
Potassium |
ppm |
NA |
NA |
4.5 |
2.2 - 5.0 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
Sodium |
ppm |
NA |
NA |
40 |
38 - 54 |
Refers to the salt present in the water and is generally |
|
naturally occurring |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Stronঞl(p) |
ppb |
HRL = 1,500 |
NA |
890 |
890 |
Erosion of natural deposits |
|
ppm |
TT |
NA |
1.0 |
ND - 2.6 |
Various natural and |
||
Vanadium |
ppb |
NL = 50 |
NA |
2.7 |
ND - 4.2 |
||
ppb |
NL = 1 |
NA |
0.74 |
ND - 0.91 |
Discharge from chemical factories |
||
P;uYorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) |
ppt |
NL = 5.1 |
NA |
ND |
ND |
Industrial chemical factory discharges; runo@/leaching |
|
from landCѲѲs; used in |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
industrial processes |
|
ppt |
NL = 6.5 |
NA |
ND |
ND |
Industrial chemical factory discharges; runo@/leaching |
||
from landCѲѲs; used in |
|||||||
(PFOS) |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
industrial processes |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
PerYuorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) |
ppt |
NA |
NA |
2.4 |
ND - 2.8 |
NA |
DETECTION OF CONTAMINANTS WITH PRIMARY
PARAMETER |
Units |
State MCL PHG (MCLG) |
Burbank Water (j) |
Lowest - |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
Highest (k) |
||||||
INORGANIC CHEMICALS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
AѴlbml(l) |
ppb |
200 |
600 |
26 |
ND - 290 Residue from water treatment process; erosion of natural deposits |
|
Arsenic |
ppb |
10 |
0.004 |
ND |
ND |
Natural deposits erosion, glass and electronics prod1ࢼon wastes |
Barium |
ppb |
1,000 |
2,000 |
79 |
ND - 118 Oil and metal reCm;ries discharge; natural deposits erosion |
|
Chromium |
ppb |
50 |
(100) |
2.9 |
ND - 4.6 Discharge from steel and pulp mills, erosion of natural deposits |
|
ppm |
2 |
1 |
0.46 |
0.4 - 0.5 Erosion of natural deposits in groundwater |
||
|
|
|
||||
FѴoub7; |
ppm |
2 |
1 |
0.53 |
0.4 - 0.9 Water addiࢼve for tooth health |
|
Nitrate (as N) |
ppm |
10 |
10 |
4.8 |
0.5 - 6.0 Runo@ and leaching from ferࢼѲbzer use; sewage; natural erosion |
|
Nitrate and Nitrite (as N) |
ppm |
10 |
10 |
4.8 |
0.5 - 6.0 Runo@ and leaching from ferࢼѲbzer use; sewage; natural erosion |
|
RADIONUCLIDES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross |
pCi/L |
15 |
(0) |
6.8 |
ND - 11 Erosion of natural deposits |
|
Gross Beta |
pCi/L |
50 |
(0) |
5.5 |
ND - 8.5 Decay of natural and manmade deposits |
|
Uranium |
pCi/L |
20 |
0.43 |
9.7 |
ND - 15 Erosion of natural deposits |
DETECTION OF CONTAMINANTS WITH SECONDARY
PARAMETER |
Units |
State MCL |
PHG |
Burbank Water (j) |
Lowest - |
Typical Source of Contaminant |
|
Highest (k) |
|||||||
AѴlbml(l) |
ppb |
200 |
600 |
26 |
ND - 290 Residue from water treatment process; erosion of natural deposits |
||
_Ѵoub7; |
ppm |
500 |
NA |
55 |
46 |
- 59 |
Runo@ or leaching from natural deposits; seawater inYuence |
CoѴou |
Units |
15 |
NA |
ND |
ND - 2 |
Naturally occurring organic materials |
|
Odor |
Units |
3 |
NA |
1 |
ND - 1 |
Naturally occurring organic materials |
|
Sr;1bC1Conductance |
µS/Cm |
1,600 |
NA |
685 |
435 |
- 720 Substances that form ions in water; seawater inYuence |
|
SѴfate |
ppm |
500 |
NA |
76 |
56 |
- 84 |
Runo@ or leaching from natural deposits; industrial wastes |
ppm |
1,000 |
NA |
401 |
244 |
- 410 Runo@ or leaching from natural deposits; seawater inYuence |
||
|
|
|
|
|
<0.1 |
Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. We monitor |
|
Turbidity |
NTU |
5 |
NA |
<0.1 |
it because it is a good indicator of water quality. High turbidity can |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
hinder the e@ecࢼveness of disinfectants. |
Footnotes
-
MCL for State
to|-ѴcoѴbform is no more than 5% ofmon|_Ѵyv-lrѴ;v-r;rovbঞve. The MCL was not boѴated in 2019. - E. coѴbĹ The occurrence of 2
comv;1ঞve
-
To|-ѴcoѴiform Treatment Technique(TT) trigger, Lev;Ѵ1 assessments, andto|-ѴcoѴiform TT vioѴaঞons. No triggers, LeveѴ 1 assessments, or vioѴaঞons occurred in 2019. -
E. coѴbL and Lev;ѴƑ TT triggers for assessments.
Nov-lrѴ;v were E. coѴbŊrovbঞve. No MCLs boѴaঞomvmor assessments occurred in 2019. -
AѴѴ7bv|ub0ঞomv-lrѴ;vcoѴѴ;1ted for 2019 haddet;1|-0Ѵ;to|-Ѵ1_Ѵoubm;r;vb7-Ѵv-m7-v a r;vѴ|mo’s were required.
(f ) Lead and copper
-
BUSD
request;7-ѴѴƑƑv1_ooѴvto be testedforѴ;-7at the drinking fountains and kitchen taps.S-lrѴbm]occurred during the months of March and ArubѴof 2017 for ato|-Ѵ ofƐƏƐv-lrѴbm]vbtes. -
ColrѴb-mce is based onLocaঞom-ѴRunning Amm-Ѵ Average, which is the average of theѴ-v|four quarters in 2019. -
ColrѴb-mce is based on RunningAmm-Ѵ Average which is the average within the 7bv|ub0ঞomsystem in 2019. -
V-Ѵ;v_own is the average of|_;0Ѵ;m7;7 water (MWDwater-m7Ѵo1-Ѵ]roundwater). -
T_;Ѵowest and highest
v-Ѵ;v=rom an
- AѴlinum has primary and secondary MCL’s.
-
State MCL for Gross
AѴr_-ex1Ѵ7;vradon and uranium.ColrѴb-mce is based on adjustedgrovv-Ѵr_- where radon and uranium are deducted. -
Hardness in
grains/]-ѴѴom1-m0;found
by dividing the ppm by 17.1. Burbank’s water averaged 261 ppm for 2019, which is
-
There is curren|Ѵy no MCL for
hexav-Ѵ;nt chromium. The previous MCL of 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) was withdrawn on September 11, 2017. -
Data
frolƑƏƐƔv-lrѴbm]ĺ
Abbreviaঞomv
AI = Aggressiveness Im7;
CFU/mL =
NTU = Nephelometric Turbidity Units N = Nitrogen
NA = Not Applicable
ND = Not Detected NL =
ppb = parts per billion or micrograms per liter (µg/L)
ppm = parts per million or milligrams per liter (mg/L)
ppt = parts per trillion or nanograms per liter (ng/L)
pCi/L = picoCuries per liter
- = Treatment Technique
µS/cm = microSiemen per cenࢼleter
6 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com |
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 7 |
Burbank Has Some of the
Lowest Water Prices in the Region
Burbank is 100% dependent on imported water. Rainwater that makes its way to underground aquifers beneath our City does no|0;Ѵom]to us. That has not stopped
groundwater. Our strategies are working. The use of groundwater has grown over the
water prices in the region.
6 |
BOU The Burbank Operable Unit cleans the |
water that comes from the aquifer. The Blending |
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Plant mixes water from #4 and #5 and sends it to |
BOU FILTRATION &
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LOS ANGELES |
7 |
between BWP and the Los Angeles |
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Department of Water and Power (LADWP), |
State Water Project &
1 Colorado River Aqueduct Untreated water from the Colorado River and the Northern Sierras enters the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) system.
COLORADO RIVER
AQUEDUCT
&
PLANT
STATE WATER
PROJECT
5 |
Treated MWD Water is sold to |
Burbank for immediate use. This |
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water, about 31% of Burbank’s |
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supply, is more expensive than |
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groundwater from the aquifer. |
BLENDING PLANT
9 |
Recycled Water Using |
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helps keep your water |
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prices low. |
WATER
POWER
BWPCѴters LADWP's ground water at the |
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BOU. This cleans up the aquifer faster and |
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allows BWP to produce drinking water for |
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Burbank at a lower price. |
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8 |
BWP Burbank distributes |
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the water from the BOU |
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Blending Plant to your home. |
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Wastewater from your |
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home, such as the shower |
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and clothes washer, is the |
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source of what becomes |
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recycled water in #9. |
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2 |
Metropolitan Water District |
MWD is a regional water wholesaler |
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that manages and distributes water |
3 |
Spreading Grounds & Aquifer |
The City of Burbank does not have rights |
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to rainwater that recharges the aquifers. |
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BWP buys untreated water from the |
State Water Project through MWD and stores it in the local aquifers as "credits."
BURBANK WATER MIX AND COST
More Expensive Water: |
|
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31% - Imported MWD |
Less Expensive: |
|
Treated Water |
||
53% - Groundwater |
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16% - Recycled Water |
8 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com
4 |
Water is pumped from the aquifer and |
directed to the Burbank Operable Unit |
|
|
(BOU) by pipeline. Burbank accesses this |
untreated water with the credits they earned by buying water from the MWD, making it less expensive than the treated water (#5).
LOPEZ & PACOIMA
SPREADING GROUNDS
AQUIFER
WATER
RECYCLING PLANT
10 |
seeps back into the aquifer |
Burbank has 276 miles of water lines that deliver about 15 million gallons of drinking water every day.
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 9
Educaঞom-Ѵ Informaঞom
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and boѴed water) in1Ѵ7e rivers, Ѵakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and w;ѴѴs. As water traveѴs over the surface of the Ѵand or through the ground, it dissoѴves naturaѴѴy occurring
The following deCnbঞons may be helpful in your understanding of our Water Quality Report:
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest ѴeveѴ of a contaminant that is aѴѴowed in drinking water. Primary
Public Health Goal (PHG): The ѴeveѴ of a contaminant in drinking water beѴow which there is no known or expected risk to heaѴ|h. PHGs are set by the
MRDLGs do not reY;ct the beneCts of the use of disinfectants to controѴ microbiaѴ contaminants.
Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the Ѵev;Ѵ of a contaminant in drinking water.
Contaminants that may be present in source water in1Ѵ7e:
• |
viruses and bacteria that may come |
from sewage treatment rѴants, |
sepঞc systems, agricuѴturaѴ Ѵbvestock |
operaঞons, and wiѴ7Ѵife. |
• Inorganic contaminants, such |
as saѴts and metaѴs, that can |
be naturaѴѴy occurring or r;vѴt |
from urban stormwater runo@, |
State Water Board
Drinking water, in1Ѵ7ing boѴed water, may reasona0Ѵy be expected to contain at Ѵeast smaѴѴ amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarbѴy indicate that water poses a heaѴ|h risk. More informaঞomabout contaminants and potenঞaѴheaѴ|_ e@ects can be
capacity of the infant’s bѴood to carry oxygen, revѴঞm]bn a serious bѴѴness; symptoms im1Ѵ7e shortness of breath and bѴueness of the skin. Nitrate ѴeveѴs above 10 mg/L may
MCLs are
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The Ѵev;Ѵ of a contaminant in drinking water beѴow which there is no known or expected risk to
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest ѴeveѴ of a disinfectant aѴѴowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addiঞon of a disinfectant is necessary for controѴ of microbiaѴ contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The Ѵev;Ѵ of a drinking- water disinfectant beѴow which there is no known or expected risk to
Regulatory Acঞom Level (AL): The concentraঞomof a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must foѴѴow.
industriaѴ or domesঞc wastewater |
discharg;vķobѴ and gas producঞon, |
mining, or farming. Pesঞcides |
and herbicides that may come |
from a variety of sources such |
as agricuѴture, urban stormwater |
runo@, and residenঞaѴ uses. |
• Organic chemicaѴ contaminants, |
in1Ѵ7ing syntheঞc and voѴaঞѴe |
organic chemicaѴs that are |
and petroѴeum producঞon, and can |
aѴso come from gas staঞons, urban |
stormwater runo@, agri1Ѵ|raѴ |
• Radioacঞve contaminants, which |
can be naturaѴѴy occurring or be the |
resuѴt of oiѴ and gas producঞomand |
mining acঞbঞes. |
obtained by
Some peopѴe may be more vѴnerabѴe to contaminants in drinking water than the generaѴ porѴaঞom. Immuno- compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transrѴants, peorѴe with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some eѴ7euѴy, and infants can be parঞ1ѴauѴy at risk from infecঞomv. These peorѴe shouѴd seek advice about drinking water from their heaѴ|_ care providers. USEPA/Centers for Disease ControѴ (CDC) guideѴines on appropriate means to Ѵ;ssen the risk of infecঞomby Cryptosporidium and other microbiaѴ
Lead: If present, eѴevatedѴev;Ѵs of Ѵead can cause serious heaѴ|h probѴ;ms,
This Water Quality Report reYects changes in drinking water regulatory requirements during 2019. All water systems are required to comply with the state Total Coliform Rule. Beginning April 1, 2016, all water systems are also required to comply with the federal Revised Total Coliform Rule. The new federal rule maintains the purpose to protect public health by ensuring the integrity of the
spe1bC;7=requency of total coliform occurrences are required to conduct an assessment to determine if any sanitary defe1|v;bv|ĸIf found, these must be corrected by the water system.
On May 30th, 2019, a sample analyzed by a contract lab found
samples were collected on May 30th and May 31st from various locaࢼons, including the Plant’s eZuent, water entering the distrb0ࢼom system, and water within the distribuࢼon system found no TCP detected in any of the samples. This and addiࢼonal informaࢼon was all documented and reported to the State Water Board. Although BWP believes the original sample results were erroneous and proof can be found in the numerous addiࢼonal tesࢼng, all showed no contaminaࢼon. This report is available for public review at the Water Engineering OLce located in the BWP Administraࢼom Building at 164 W. Magnolia Blvd.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EnvironmentaѴ Protecঞom Agency (USEPA) and the State Water Resources ControѴ Board (State Water Board) prescribe regѴaঞoms that Ѵimit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by pubѴic water systems.
10 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com
contaminants are avaiѴa0Ѵe from the Safe Drinking Water HotѴbne
Nitrate: Nitrate (as nitrogen) in drinking water at ѴeveѴs above 10 mg/L is a
your water tested. Informaঞon on Ѵead in drinking water, tesঞm]methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is
BurbankWaterandPower.com
Important Web Links
State Water Resources ControѴBoard – Division of Drinking Water waterboards.ca.gov
CaѴbfornia EPA calepa.ca.gov
EPA (Groundwater and Drinking Water) epa.gov/safewater
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 11
ONEBurbank Partners
With Visit Burbank
Enhancing the Tourist Experience with
Ultra-High Speed Internet
ONEBurbank is a suite of BWPC0;r opঞ1v;ubces o@ered to Burbank 0vbm;vv;vѴoohbm]for
COVID-19
We’re Here for You
We are committed to the health and safety of our community.
BWP has suspendedѴate fees and
Here
Visit BurbankWaterAndPower.com/PaymentOpঞoms
for
Visit BurbankWaterAndPower.com/CovidBWP for updates on BWP services and to see how to manage your BWP account from the comfort of your home.
Visit Burbank is the oLcial desঞnaঞon markeঞm]organizaঞomof the City of Burbank. Its mission: to boost hotel occupancy by posiঞoning Burbank as a desirable tourist desঞmaঞon. Eighteen hotels make up the not-
Tourism is a growth industry for Burbank. In 2018, Burbank aracted
3.48 million visitors who spent $869 million, generated $38 million in local tax revenues, and sustained nearly 9,000 jobs. Burbank hotels experienced near record occupancy rates of just under 83% in 2019.
In such a dynamic market, Burbank hotels must be compeঞঞve and exceed the expectaঞons of guests visiঞmg the “Media Capital of the World.” For that reason, Visit Burbank opted for ONEBurbank's
“ONEBurbank is one of the most
Tony Garibian, Visit Burbank’s Board Chairman and owner of the Coast
Avenue, added, “We are veryrѴeased with the service and reѴbabiѴity of ONEBurbank, and so are our guests. In addiঞom to Burbank’s unique aracঞomv and neighborhoods, visitors are excited
We weѴcome another saঞvCed ONEBurbank customer! For more informaঞom on Burbank hoteѴs, aracঞomv and ameniঞes, check out visitburbank.com.
Learn about the many r;Ѵief programs and services
12 | BurbankWaterAndPower.com |
2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT | 13 |
PRSRTSTD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Van Nuys, CA
Permit No. 72
ECRWSS
Please use water and energy wisely.
Postal Customer
Your Voice Matters
Please let us know how we are doing and how we can improve Currents. Take our survey at surveymonkey.com/r/BWPCurrents
For the latest news and updates, follow us!
How to Contact Us
Follow BWP at |
Say hi to BWP at |
twitter.com/BurbankH2OPower facebook.com/BurbankCA
Customer Service: |
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Street Light Outages: |
ONEBurbank: |
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Water Services: |
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Currents Editors |
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Visit us online at |
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JOE FLORES |
TRACIE NEISWONGER |
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BurbankWaterAndPower.com |
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jlflores@burbankca.gov |
tneiswonger@burbankca.gov |
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Always There for You! |
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PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
This newsletter was printed on recycled paper as certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The paper came from trees harvested in
Contaminants
Burbank Water Department
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the California State Water Resources Control Board, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 105543
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Purchased surface water
- Total: 18
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Bromoform
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Nitrate
- Nitrate and nitrite
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Uranium
Other Detected Contaminants
- 1%2C4-Dioxane
- Aluminum
- Barium
- Chlorate
- Chromium (total)
- Fluoride
- Molybdenum
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
Burbank is one of the most famous places in the United States. The city has a lot to offer from the beaches, museums and entertainment areas. This article will give you some facts about this area that you might want to know.
When you go to Burbank, it''s important to realize that tap water is safe to drink. If you are drinking bottled water, or other municipal water source, then you might have to think twice about drinking it. But since it is safe to drink, you can use it to make homemade soft drinks, or even for other purposes.
If you are going to buy bottled water, make sure to read labels carefully so that you know which ones contain tap water. This is because many of them do not. There are some that are labeled as being 100% natural but are actually full of chlorine.
If you have children, it''s very important for you to learn more about the tap water that is available in Burbank. You have to make sure that the water that your child dr