FOR: Water Subcommittee Meeting [May 29, 2024]
TO: Honorable Water Subcommittee Members
APPROVAL: Tanya Williams, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
...Title
Consideration of 2023 Consumer Confidence Report for Drinking Water.
RECOMMENDATION
Request that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the 2023 Consumer Confidence Report for Drinking Water. (ACTION)
...Body
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), is sent to customers in the message box of their water bill. It explains 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.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Since 1990, California public water utilities have provided an annual Consumer Confidence Report to their customers. This year’s report covers the calendar year 2023 drinking water quality testing and reporting. RWS, as operated by Veolia of North America vigilantly safeguards our water supply and, as in years past, the water delivered to the homes and businesses met the quality standards required by Federal and State regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are the government agencies responsible for establishing and enforcing drinking water quality standards.
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
Approval of the proposed action also complies with the following City of Rialto Guiding Principles, General Plan Goals and Policies:
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.
Goal 3-8: Promote affordable and quality water service capable of adequately meeting normal and emergency water demands to all areas in Rialto.
Policy 3-8.4: Advocate regular evaluation of the entire water supply and distribution system to ensure its continued adequacy, reliability, and safety.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The cost related to distributing the CCR is low because it's mainly done through the RWS website and advertisement of its availability is done through the already established medium of the monthly water bill.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
There will not be any impact on the Capital Improvement Budget from the proposed action.
Licensing
Payment of a Business License tax is not required for the proposed action.