For Water Subcommittee Meeting October 23, 2024
TO: Honorable Water Subcommittee Members
APPROVAL: John Rossi, Interim Utilities Director
FROM: Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
...Title
Staff requests that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the operation of City Well 2. (ACTION)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the operation of City Well 2.
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BACKGROUND
In 1996, the United States Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act by adding a provision requiring all community water systems to deliver a brief annual water quality report. The annual report is referred to as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) and is delivered to customers annually no later than July 1st.
The CCR includes information on our source water, the levels of any detected contaminants for the calendar year, compliance with drinking water rules, plus educational material.
The online availability of the Annual Consumer Confidence Report, created by Rialto Water Services (RWS), as operated by Veolia of North America was sent to customers in the message box of their water bill. It explained that the report is online on the RWS website and can be obtained as a hard copy from certain City facilities. Customers can also request a copy by mail through their billing statements.
This year’s report covered the calendar year 2023 drinking water quality testing and reporting.
On May 29, 2024, the Consumer Confidence Report was presented to the Water Subcommittee. The Water Subcommittee provided feedback that the item be placed on the Utilities Commission agenda for consideration to move the item forward to the City Council as a discussion item.
Historically the item has been placed on the City Council Agenda as a consent item for receive and file. However, based on the reported increase in arsenic in City Well 2 from non-detectable of 3.1 milligrams per liter (μg/L) with an average of 0.52 μg/L in 2020 to non-detectable of 9.7 μg/L with an average of 6.7 μg/L in 2023, the item was recommended to be presented to the City Council and the public for an explanation in the increased level of arsenic.
On June 18, 2024, the Utilities Commission recommended that this item be placed on the City Council/Rialto Utility Authority Board agenda to receive and file the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report.
RWS presented its findings of the Consumer Confidence Report to the City Council/Rialto Utility Authority Board on August 27, 2024.
During the City Council/Rialto Utility Authority Board meeting the Council/Board directed staff to return the item to the Water Subcommittee to discuss alternative options for utilizing City Well 2 and the feasibility of taking City Well 2 offline or providing arsenic treatment to the well.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic, as set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), is 10 μg/L. Arsenic is tested triennially if previous test results show levels below the MCL. Therefore, the arsenic level of City Well 2 was last tested in 2020 prior to the most recent test in 2023.
On March 22, 2023, City Well 2, which pumps water from the Lytle Creek Basin, had an initial hit of 9.7 μg/L for arsenic. This triggered quarterly sampling with the following results:
Per RWS the initial 9.7 μg/L sample was due to City Well 2 not running long enough before the sample was taken after having been offline for repairs for three months. The quarterly samples illustrate that the arsenic in City Well 2 stabilized to historical averages of 5.0 μg/L.
Staff met with RWS to discuss the feasibility of replacing City Well 2 with an existing well that has non-detectable arsenic levels. RWS explained that, as shown in the table below, City Well 2 is a key part of the City/RUA’s water plan, producing an average of 28% of the City/RUA’s water over the past decade. Additionally, RWS is currently running all operable wells to meet the City/RUA’s demand. Therefore, the City/RUA does not currently have a suitable replacement for this well.
Furthermore, the City/RUA’s pumping allocation from the Rialto aquifer was reduced by 200 acre-feet last year, with another 200-acre-foot reduction expected this year. As a result, the City/RUA will rely more heavily on this well to meet water supply needs.
Staff will continue our efforts to secure grants that could fund the arsenic treatment of City Well 2A and are requesting feedback on the operation of City Well 2.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3 in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact: No impact.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact: No impact.