DRINKING WATER PROGRAM

City of Boulder Public Works / Utilities Water Quality and Environmental Services 5605 N. 63rd Street, Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 413-7400 FAX (303) 530-1137

DRINKING WATER FACT SHEET # 4

WHAT IS (AND ISN'T) IN BOULDER'S WATER.
The city of Boulder conducts thousands of analyses every year to assure safe, high quality, drinking water. There are currently 83 contaminants regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Most of these contaminants are not found in the city of Boulder water. None of the numerous regulated pesticides have been detected in drinking water samples from either the Betasso Water Treatment Facility or the Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Facility. Metals of concern such as lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, selenium, thallium and nickel have not been detected in the water processed by the water treatment plants. Gross alpha and gross beta radiation emitters have not been found at higher than background levels in the drinking water. The table below shows values for other constituents which are commonly requested by consumers. These average or representative values are for water produced at the treatment plants and are shown with their regulatory limits. To assist understanding of the table here is some background about the citys water treatment facilities: Betasso Water Treatment Facility is the city's primary plant. It is located in the foothills west of Boulder near Sugarloaf Mountain. The Betasso facility processes water from Barker and Lakewood Reservoirs. Barker is fed by the Middle Boulder Creek Watershed. Lakewood is primarily fed by water from Silver Lake (a city owned watershed) via the Silver Lake pipeline, but may also receive water from North Boulder Creek and Como Creek. Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Facility is located east of Boulder Reservoir along the Longmont Diagonal (Boulder Co. Hwy 119). During most of the year water is pumped directly from the reservoir itself. From about May through October the Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Facility may divert water directly from the canal. Most of the water in the canal comes from Carter Lake and is much less mineralized (softer) than the water in Boulder Reservoir. Notes on lead and copper: The copper and lead levels noted in the table are based on measurements taken on water as it leaves the water treatment facilities. Copper and lead levels at the tap may be higher depending upon the type and age of home plumbing at a given residence (copper pipes and lead solder in some residences may contribute metals to drinking water). The city of Boulder has been monitoring copper and lead at some Boulder residences over the past 4 years as part of the regulations set forth in the Environmental Protection Agencys Lead and Copper in Drinking Water Rule (LCR). The LCR has specified Action Levels for both lead and copper in drinking water (as identified on previous page). An Action Level (AL) is defined as a level above which certain corrective actions by a municipality are required (such as corrosion control to reduce metals in drinking water). An AL exceeding is defined as the point at which more than 10% of the sites monitored in a municipality exceed the AL for a given metal.

The city of Boulder has not exceeded Action Levels for either lead or copper in any of the monitoring done to date. Since the monitoring began in 1992, the number of residences exceeding the 0.015 mg/l lead AL has varied between 2% and 10% (most recent monitoring: 2%). To date, no sites have exceeded the 1.3 mg/l copper AL. Notes on organic compounds HAA5s and THMs: Both of these compounds are formed when chlorine combines with naturally occurring organic substances. Average values listed in the table are based on measurements as the water leaves the water treatment facilities. HAA5 and THM values will increase over time in the distribution system. The city of Boulder has not exceeded current regulatory limits for either of these contaminants. If you have additional questions, please call the Drinking Water Program at (303) 413-7400.

CITY OF BOULDER WATER QUALITY TABLE (updated 10/06) The following are average finished water values for Betasso and Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Facilities .Variable
(Parameter) Inorganic Compounds Total Alkalinity Aluminum Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium Boron Cadmium Calcium as CaCO3 Chloride Chromium Copper Fluoride Total Hardness as CaCO3 Iron Lead Magnesium as CaCO3 Manganese Mercury Molybdenum Nickel Nitrate/Nitrite Potassium Selenium Silver Sodium Total Dissolved Solids Silicon Specific Conductance Sulfate Thallium Vanadium Zinc Organic Compounds HAA5s TTHMs Volatile and Synthetic Organic Betasso Water Treatment Plant Avg 45 <0.1 <0.001 <0.001 0.011 <0.001 <0.01 <0.0006 47 6 <0.003 <0.01 0.9 51 <0.04 <0.002 4 <0.01 <0.0001 <0.003 <0.002 0.1/<0.01 <.8 <0.001 <0.0002 <5 72 <3 118 6 <0.001 <0.002 <0.05 0.034 0.032 BDL Boulder Reservoir Water Treatment Plant
Bldr Feeder Canal Reservoir Basin

Regulatory or Recommended Limits

Avg 27 <0.1 <0.001 <0.001 <0.02 <0.001 <0.01 <0.0006 27 3 <0.003 <0.01 0.9 35 <0.04 <0.002 8 <0.01 <0.0001 <0.003 <0.002 0.1 <2 <0.001 <0.0002 13 85 <3 139 13 <0.001 <0.002 <0.02 0.023 0.027 BDL

Avg (Range) 59 (27-93) <0.2 <0.001 <0.001 <0.05 <0.001 <0.03 <0.0006 89 (42-169) 7 <0.003 <0.005 0.9 118 (54-229) <0.04 <0.002 29 (12-60) <0.01 <0.0001 <0.003 <0.002 0.05/<0.01 <2 <0.003 <0.0002 19 (7-29) 209 (112-343) <3 342 (184-563) 85 (24-152) <0.001 <0.002 <0.01 0.023 0.030 BDL

NLE MSL = 0.05-0.2 MCL = 0.006 MCL = 0.01 MCL = 2.0 MCL = 0.004 NLE MCL = 0.005 NLE MSL = 250 MCL = 0.1 AL = 1.3 MCL = 4.0 NLE MSL = 0.3 AL = 0.015 NLE MSL = 0.05 MCL = 0.002 NLE MCL = 0.1 MCL = 10.0/1.0 NLE MCL = 0.05 MSL =0.1 MSL = 20.0 MSL = 500 NLE NLE MSL = 250 MCL = 0.002 NLE NLE MCL = 0.06 MCL = 0.08 Specific to each

Compounds (VOC/SOC) Total Organic Carbon (TOC) 1.3 2.3 Radioactive Compounds Gross Alpha Emitters <3 <3 Gross Beta Emitters <8 --Uranium <0.0004 <0.0004 Radon BDL -- Asbestos - < 7 million fibers per liter longer than 10 micrometers Free Chlorine Residual - 0.4 -0.9 mg/L in distribution system pH - 7.2 - 8.2 in the distribution system MSL = 6.5 - 8.5 Units - Inorganic and Organic Compounds, Milligrams per liter (mg/L) Radioactive Compounds, Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) Specific Conductance, micromhos per centimeter (umhos/cm)

2.8

compound NLE

<8 MCL = 15 <8 MCL = 50 <0.0004 0.03 BDL NLE BDL = Below Detection Limits; MCL = Max Contaminant Level; AL =Action Level, level that triggers certain regulatory requirements MSL = Max Secondary Level (non- enforceable); NLE = No Limit Established;