CCR and Water Quality

M5.4 CCR and Water Quality

  • What is the source of your drinking water?   Where does your water ORIGINATE?  (It is treated at a water treatment plant, but what watershed or aquifer is the sources of the water?)
    • The water I drink from the San Francisco Regional Water System comes from the Hetch-Hetchy Reservoir which is filled by spring snowmelt from the Tuolumne River
    • The water is treated at potentially 2 local treatment plants Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant or Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant which are sourced from watersheds and/or other reservoirs in the area. 
    • A small amount of ground water is also added to surface water supplies to diversify the drinking water. 
  • What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected?
    • 3 contaminants were found to be higher than expected 
      • Chlorate - which can harm the thyroid
      • Radiological contaminants - which can cause cancer
      • Trihalomethane - which are also cancer causing agents

  • What chemicals did you NOT expect to find in your water?
    • Radiological contaminants was a big unexpected issue for me, heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxins make sense as the water is treated and makes its way to my sink. But it is the radioactive material that is the most surprising. 

  • Are there associated health risks with the chemicals found in your water?  (sources for this last question include the EPA, CDC, ATSDR and the National Library of Medicine's ToxNet program
    • The main issue that I am worried about are the cancer risks that come from radiological material and pollutants. And trihalomethane also has cancer risks and can negative health impacts on the central nervous system, the kidney, liver and heart. 

  • What did you discover about your water quality?
    • The biggest thing about the water quality that I learned is that our water comes from such a long way, but then is also peace mealed together by different water sources within our area. So there is a lot of opportunity for contaminants to get in the water. We are not just protecting one true source but many and the road that it then travels on to get to me. 

  • Do you use a filter for your water?
    • I only drink filter water from my house. I have a fridge that filters the water for me. However I do drink from water fountains when I am at the gym or other public locations. 

  • What are you trying to filter out?
    • Radiological material, metals, pesticides, synthetic organic compounds, alcohols, cyanotoxins, and haloacetic acids. 

  • Do you drink bottled water?   How does this square with what you learned when you watched the Story of Bottled Water (see next exercise)?
    • I have a reusable water bottle that I use often, but when I forget I do drink bottled water because it is convenient. I was not surprised to learn about the pollution and waste that comes from the water bottle industry, but was surprised that they are just using the same tap water that I am using at home to bottle their water. 

Comments

  1. Aubrey MatthewsSeptember 24, 2019 at 1:27 PM

    Hey Kelly,

    In my research I found some disturbing chemicals that are in the water too. I know that they say the amount is not enough to be considered past government regulated limits, but studies have shown otherwise. I was reading an article which said that Trihalomathane in low doses over a long period of time has been linked to cancer. You should check it out. Your city has radiological materials?! I am wondering from where? Ours here in Sac contains Arsenic...commonly found in RAT POISON! I don't care in what amount.. rat poison in water bad. Like you mentioned my gym at home has a water filter on the drinking fountain that filters out particulates as well as has the regular drinking portion. Its the first public use one i've ever seen!

    ReplyDelete

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