Is Medford Tap Water Safe to Drink?

MEDFORD WATER COMMISSION

200 S . Ivy Street - Rm 177 Medford, Oregon 97501

Ph: 541 . 774 . 2430

medfordwater . org | @MedfordWater

2020 annual drinking water test results; published April 2021

Providing safe, high quality drinking water is Medford Water Commission's top priority. To ensure this objective, a comprehensive water quality program has been developed.

This involves water treatment and testing, as well as measures aimed at assuring that our water resources are protected to the greatest extent possible.

The Commission also publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report. While similar to this document, it does not include data on all parameters tested. Rather, it focuses on and provides additional details about contaminants that have been detected in our drinking water.

We encourage you to read that report for additional health related information.

W A T E R T R E A T M E N T

• Q U A L I T Y D I R E C T O R
  B e n K l a y m a n , P h D , P E

Medford Water Commission obtains its water from two high quality sources: Big Butte Springs (our primary source), located approximately thirty miles northeast of Medford, and the Rogue River (a supplemental source during peak summer demands).

Water from both of these sources is regularly tested for basic physical characteristics and a vast array of potential contaminants. The term "contaminant" refers to any substance that may be found in the water. All water, including bottled water, may contain small amounts of contaminants and their presence does not necessarily indicate a health concern.

The levels of certain contaminants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and administered by the Oregon Health Authority, Drinking Water Services.

The drinking water standards are set into two categories; primary standards, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), are mandatory and establish limits for various substances that have been found to adversely affect human health. Secondary standards relate to aesthetic qualities of the water but are not necessarily harmful, and are considered recommended guidelines.

Medford Water Commission conducts water quality testing on a large list of parameters, and during 2020 we conducted over 8,000 analyses. We are proud to report that all results for 2020 met or exceeded all state and federal health standards.

This report provides a comprehensive listing of current test results. Where applicable, the tables indicate the MCL allowed in water. Those substances subject only

to the secondary standard are identified with an asterisk

(*). Definitions and explanations have also been included to provide assistance in understanding the tables.

GENERAL PARAMETERS @ EP

*Secondary standards

MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

1. Coliform bacteria are the primary measure of the microbial quality of drinking water. They are used as indicators of the possible presence of disease-causing microorganisms. The Water Commission has 55 microbiological sampling points established at representative locations throughout the water distribution system, and collects a minimum of 90 samples each month. Over 1,000 samples were analyzed during 2020 and no coliforms were ever detected.
2. Microcystin, Anatoxin, and Cylindrospermopsin are toxins produced by naturally occurring algae which tend to grow in warm, stagnant water. No algal toxin was detected in either our source or our finished water during 2020.

LEAD AND COPPER SAMPLING AT RESIDENTIAL WATER TAPS

There is virtually no lead or copper in either of the Commission’s water supply sources. However, since these metals can enter the drinking water supply through corrosion within the water distribution system or household plumbing, supplemental testing is conducted at the individual taps of customers whose plumbing meets criteria for being at risk for elevated lead and copper levels. Based on testing in representative home plumbing systems, it has been found that our water does not tend to promote the leaching of these minerals in amounts that would normally be considered a health concern.

AL (Action Level): The concentration of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers a treatment or other requirement that a water system must follow.

Chlorine Residual: In order to assure that protection from microorganisms occurs until drinking water reaches the customer’s taps, chlorine should be present throughout the distribution system. The table indicates the average amount of chlorine present in the water from each source as it enters the distribution system. Chlorine residual is routinely tested for compliance at sampling locations dispersed throughout the water system

EP: Entry Point to the Distribution System

Hardness: A description of the mineral content of the water, typically measured by dissolved calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The harder the water, the less easily soap will lather. Typically ranging between 25 and 40 ppm, our water tends to be moderately soft. Hardness is sometimes given in grains per gallon, with our water generally having between 1.4 and 2.4 grains per gallon.

Inorganic Chemicals: A diverse group of substances generally derived from mineral sources.

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MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level): The maximum amount of a regulated

INORGANIC CHEMICALS* @ EP

substance allowed in drinking water.

µmhos/cm: Micromhos per centimeter, a measurement of conductivity (the ability to carry an electrical current). Dissolved minerals and salts will increase conductivity. Pure distilled water has a conductivity of 0 to 3 µmhos/cm, and the conductivity of finished drinking water in the U.S. generally ranges from 50 to 1500 µmhos/cm.

ND: Indicates that the contaminant was not detected in the water. Today’s precise laboratory equipment detects substances at very low levels, but it is recognized that a substance could be present at an even lower level. Therefore, the results are given as “ND @” a specific testing level, typically well below the MCL.

pH: The degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Values between 0 and 7 indicate acidity, those between 7 and 14 indicate alkalinity, and a value of 7 is neutral.

Analyte

Aluminum, Al

Antimony, Sb

Arsenic, As

Barium, Ba

Beryllium, Be

Boron, B

Cadmium, Cd

Chloride, Cl

Chromium, Cr

Copper, Cu

Cyanide, Cn

Fluoride, F

Iron, Fe

Lead, Pb

Lithium, Li

Manganese, Mn

Mercury, Hg

Molybdenum, Mo

Nickel, Ni

Nitrate, NO3

Nitrite, NO2

Selenium, Se

Silver, Ag

Sulfate, SO4

Thallium, Tl

Vanadium, V

Zinc, Zn

EP-Big Butte

Springs

0.04

ND @ 0.0005

ND @ 0.001

0.003

ND @ 0.0005

ND @ 0.05

ND @ 0.0001

2.3

• 0.005
  0.03

ND @ 0.003

ND @ 0.2

• 0.03
• 0.0001 ND @ 0.1

ND @ 0.02

ND @ 0.0002

• 0.001
• 0.003 ND @ 0.2

ND @ 0.05

ND @ 0.001

ND @ 0.0001

1.4

ND @ 0.0005

0.01

ND @ 0.05

EP-Duff WTP,

Rogue River

ND @ 0.01

ND @ 0.0005

ND @ 0.001

0.006

ND @ 0.0005

ND @ 0.05

< 0.0002

3.8

ND @ 0.001

• 0.003 ND @ 0.003 ND @ 0.2 ND @ 0.015 ND @ 0.0001 ND @ 0.1 ND @ 0.02 ND @ 0.0002 ND @ 0.001
• 0.002 ND @ 0.2

ND @ 0.05

ND @ 0.001

ND @ 0.0001

1.0

ND @ 0.0005

ND @ 0.005

ND @ 0.05

MCL or Standard

LevelUnit

0.01ppm

0.1ppm

0.2ppm

0.1ppm

0.05ppm

pCi/L: Picocuries per liter, a measure of radioactivity.

ppm, ppb: These refer to the amount of a contaminant found per increment of water. With increasing technology, contaminants can be detected in extremely small quantities. One ppm (part per million) means that one part of a particular substance is present for every million (1,000,000) parts of water. Similarly, ppb (parts per billion) indicates the amount of a contaminant per billion (1,000,000,000) parts of water.

Routine maintenance such as valve turning and hydrant flushing helps ensure water quality from the source to your tap

Radiologicals: An evaluation of radiant energy emitted from certain minerals as they disintegrate. It can be released from the ground and from water that has been exposed to such substances.

Secondary Standards: Denoted in tables with an asterisk (*). The suggested maximum amount of a substance, but not a regulatory requirement.

Synthetic Organic Chemicals: Pesticide/herbicide compounds, most often present in areas of intensive agriculture.

TTHMs (Total Trihalomethanes), HAA5s (Haloacetic Acids) & Bromate: Compounds that can result from chemical reactions between organic material and chlorine or bromide and ozone. These are collectively called Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs). The disinfection processes are carefully monitored to keep DBPs to a minimum while still ensuring that sufficient disinfection is achieved.

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

SYNTHETIC ORGANIC CHEMICALS1 @ EP

1 Synthetic Organic Chemicals with N/A as the MCL are currently unregulated.

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ADDITIONAL UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS @ EP