The City of Chandler Public

Works & Utilities Department is committed to providing a safe and sustainable supply of drinking water for our val- ued customers. Due to our strong commitment, the City of Chandler employs a team of chemists, technicians, and specialists to collect and per-

form more tests on the water served than is required by law. This report provides valuable material concerning your drink- ing water including information about its sources, results from water quality testing, and how to interpret the data provided.

About your Water Supply

The drinking water supplied by the City of Chandler to its cus- tomers comes from three sources:

• The Chandler Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) treats and distributes water from the Salt River, Verde River, Central Arizona Project (Colorado River), and Salt River Project (SRP) wells whose water is transported to Chandler via the Consolidated Canal.
• 32 active wells supply groundwater from aquifers underlying Chandler. Groundwater is disinfected with chlorine prior to being introduced into the City’s distribution system.
• The City of Chandler and the Town of Gilbert jointly own the Santan Vista Water Treatment Plant (SVWTP) located in the Town of Gilbert. This facility currently treats and distributes up to 24 million gallons per day of Colorado River water from the Central Arizona Project to each city. We have included compliance information supplied by the SVWTP. The Town of Gilbert’s annual Water Quality Report can also be accessed at www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/public-works/water/reports.

City of Chandler Water Supply Statistics

• 23.3 billion gallons of drinking water were supplied to Chandler water users in 2020. (A daily average of 64 million gallons.)

• Chandler’s SWTP produced 13 billion gallons, or 56% of the City’s total drinking water.

• The SVWTP supplied 5.2 billion gallons, or 22% of the City’s total drinking water.

Drinking Water and your Health

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contami- nants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indi- cate that water poses a health risk. 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 sys- tem 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.

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, or to receive a copy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and microbiological contaminants call the

EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

The sources of drinking water (both tap 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. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• 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 that can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water run- off, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and Herbicides: Such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff, and residential uses that may come from a vari- ety of sources
• Organic Chemical Contaminants: Such as 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 sys- tems
• Radioactive contaminants: That can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activi- ties.

In order to ensure tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water providing the same level of protection for public health. Information on these regulations may be obtained by calling 1-888-INFO FDA (463-6332).

Lead and Copper Testing

Federal regulations require all cities to test for lead and cop- per at selected customer’s taps at least once every three years. The City of Chandler conducted lead and copper tap sampling in the summer of 2019, with the concentrations of lead and copper well below regulatory limits. The next round of lead and copper sampling will be in 2022.

Lead, in drinking water, is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumb- ing. If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young

Lead and Copper Study 2019:

children. The City of Chandler is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in household plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can mini- mize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. Information on lead in drinking water, testing meth- ods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead

Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation

The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act required the EPA to establish criteria for a program to moni- tor unregulated contaminants and publish a list of up to 30 contaminants to be monitored every five years. The intent of this rule is to provide baseline occurrence data that the

Detected Unregulated Contaminant (UCMR4):

EPA can combine with the toxicological research to make decisions about potential future drinking water regulations. The EPA published the final rule for the Fourth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation Cycle (UCMR4) to meet this requirement in the Federal Register on December 20, 2016; Chandler’s assigned sampling period began in July 2018 and continued through July 2019. As of the end of testing, 23 of the 30 compounds were not detected in our system.

Public Notification of failure to report Synthetic Organic Chemical (SOC) results on time

The City of Chandler is required to report analytical results for the monitoring and reporting schedules established by the Safe Drinking Water Act. The results from SOC sampling at one of the City’s well sites, conducted during the first quarter of 2018, were incompletely reported. The City was returned to compliance once the missing forms were provided. As the data reported no detections of SOC’s at the well site, Chandler has no reason to believe that the late reporting had any impact on public health. The City is working with Regulators to ensure their agencies receive timely and complete reports.

Protecting Chandler’s Water Supply

Source Water Assessment and Protection Program (SWAP)

The Arizona Department of

Environmental Quality (ADEQ) completed a source water assessment for drinking water wells and surface water sources for Chandler’s public water system in 2005. The assessment reviewed adjacent land uses that may pose a potential risk to water

sources. These risks include, but are not limited to, gas stations, landfills, dry cleaners, agriculture fields, wastewater treatment plants, and mining activities. Once ADEQ identified the adjacent land uses, they were ranked on their potential to affect the water source.

All surface water sources are considered high risk due to their exposure to open air. The overall risk posed to surface water is addressed by EPA through its increased monitoring requirements for surface water sources.

Two of Chandler’s drinking water wells were considered high risk based on adjacent land use criteria. The Chandler public water system conducts regular monitoring of drinking water entering the distribution system from all wells to ensure land uses have not impacted the source water.

Based on the information currently available on the hydrogeological settings and the adjacent land uses that are in the specified proximity of the drinking water source(s) of this public water system, ADEQ has given a high risk designation for the degree to which this public water system drinking water source(s) are protected. A designation of high risk indicates there may be additional source water protection measures which can be implemented on the local level. This does not imply that the source water is contaminated nor does it mean that contamination is imminent. Rather, it simply states that land use activities or hydrogeological conditions exist that make the source water susceptible to possible future contamination. Further source water assessment documentation can be obtained by contacting ADEQ at 602-771-2300 or visiting their website at www.azdeq.gov/source-water-protection

Backflow Prevention

The City of Chandler prevents contamination of the public water supply by requiring the installation, maintenance and inspection of thousands of backflow devices throughout the City. These devices ensure hazards originating on customer’s property and from temporary connections do not impair or alter the water in the City’s distribution system. Backflow pre- vention devices range from vacuum breakers on household hose bibs to large commercial reduced-pressure principal devices.

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Tips

“Be the solution to storm water pollution” – common storm water pollutants include sediment, motor oil and other vehicle fluids, pet waste, yard debris, metals, pesti- cides, fertilizers and herbicides, to name a few. For more information on storm water pollution prevention, please go to www.chandleraz.gov and

search “stormwater”.

Guidelines for Everyday Pollution Prevention – “Only Rain In the Storm Drain”

• Sweep yard debris and properly dispose of in the trash, rather than blowing or hosing into the street.
• Contain pool or spa water on pri- vate property or dispose of it in the sanitary sewer cleanout asso- ciated with your home. Draining pool water into the street or other City right-of-way is prohibited by City Code. For more information call 480-782-3507 or search “pool drainage” at www.chandleraz.gov.
• Use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly and as directed by the manufacturer.
• Pick up after your pet and properly dispose of the waste in the trash.
• Wash your car on a lawn or other unpaved surface, or use a commercial car wash.
• Always use a nozzle on your garden hose around the home. Do not let the water free flow into the street.
• Maintain vehicles to be free of leaks and do not park leaking vehicles on the street.
• Do not over-water your lawn.
• Report illegal dumping into streets and storm drains by call- ing 480-782-3503 or at www.chandleraz.gov.
• Minimize your purchase and use of hazardous products. Dispose of unused quantities properly. Please contact Solid Waste Services at 480-782-3510 for proper disposal guide- lines of hazardous waste materials such as used motor oil and other similar fluids.

Taste, Odor and Hardness

The EPA’s National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations are non-enforceable guidelines on contaminants that may cause cosmetic or aesthetic effects in drinking water. These effects include flavor, color, odor and hardness, all of which are harm- less, but some consumers may find disagreeable. The table below shows data on substances and characteristics that are frequently asked about by Chandler residents.

Seasonal Changes in Flavor

The flavor of Chandler’s drinking water may change at certain times of the year, depending on the source. Chandler works with SRP to minimize algae in the canal system and to provide treatment at the SWTP to reduce off-flavors and odors.

Arizona State University and the City of Chandler have partnered to routinely monitor for taste and odor precursors in the Consolidated Canal. This allows the treatment plant to have more precise control over taste and odor events and to better utilize resources and manage cost.

Santan Vista System Compliance Data 2020:

Who do I contact with questions about Chandler’s Drinking Water?

If you have any questions about your tap water or the infor- mation in this report, please call 480-782-3654 during nor- mal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). You can also visit our website at www.chandleraz. gov/residents/water/water-quality

Citizens who wish to address the City Council about water issues may do so at regularly scheduled City Council meetings normally held the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. The meetings are held at Chandler City Hall Council Chambers, 88 E. Chicago Street. For information about specific meeting times and agenda items, please contact the City Clerk’s office at 480-782-2180, or visit www.chandleraz.gov/government/ departments/city-clerks-office/city-council-meetings

Definitions:

Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a con- taminant that is allowed in drinking water

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a con- taminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The level of dis- infectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer’s tap

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of disinfectant added for treatment at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on health of persons would occur Minimum Reporting Limit (MRL): The smallest measured con-

centration of a substance that can be reliably measured by a given analytical method

Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU): A measure of water clarity

Non-Applicable (N/A): Sampling was not completed by regu- lation or was not required

ppm: Parts per million or Milligrams per liter (mg/L). One ppm is equivalent to one gallon in one million gallons.

ppb: Parts per billion or Micrograms per liter (µg/L). One ppb is one thousand times smaller than a ppm.

Picocuries per liter (pCi/L): Measure of the radioactivity in water

Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water