Crystal Clear Water Supply Corporation CCR 2002

Crystal Clear Water Supply Corporation has served members since 1964!

General Information

CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION

2002 Annual Water Quality Report
PWS # 0940015

Special Notice for the ELDERLY, INFANTS, CANCER PATIENTS, people with HIV/AIDS or other immunce problems:

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

OUR DRINKING WATER IS REGULATED by the Texas Commission on environmental Quality (TCEQ) and they have determined that certain water quality issues exist which prevent our water from meeting all of the requirements as stated in the Federal Drinking Water Standards. Each issue is listed in this report as a violation and we are working closely with TCEQ to achieve solutions.

En Espanol

Este reporte incluye informacion importante sobre el agua para tomar. Si tiene preguntas o'discussions sobre este reporte en espanol, favor de llarmar al tel. (830) 372-1031 par hablar con una persona bilingue en espanol.

Where do we get our drinking water?

Our drinking water is obtained from Ground and Surface water sources. It comes from the following wells in the Edwards Aquifer that are owned and maintained by Crystal Clear WSC, Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer from the Spring Hill WSC, Mesa Wells, Guadalupe River from the Canyon Regional Water Authority (CRWA) and New Braunfels Utilities, and San Marcos River from the CRWA. TCEQ will be reviewing all of Texas' drinking water sources. The source water assessment has been completed and the report will be available this year. It allows us to focus on our source water protection activities.

ALL drinking water may contain contaminants.

When drinking water meets federal standards there may not be any health based benefits to purchasing bottled water or point of use devices.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may resonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

About The Following Pages

The pages that follow list all of the federally regulated or monitored constituents which have been found in your drinking water. U.S. EPA requires water systems to test up to 97 constituents.

Secondary Constituents

Many constituents (such as calcium, sodium, or iron) which are often found in drinking water, can cause taste , color or odor problems. The taste and odor constituents are called secondary constituents and are regulated by the State of Texas, not the EPA. These constituents are not causes for health concerns. Therefore, secondaries are not required to be reported in this document but they greatly affect the appearance and taste of your water.

Public Participation Opportunities

Date: Any regularly scheduled and posted Board Meeting
Location: 2370 FM 1979, San Marcos, TX
Phone No.: 1-800-659-1031

Definitions:

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL's are set as close to the MCLG's as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG's allow for a margin of safety.
Treatment Technique or TT: A required process intended to reduce the level of contaminant in drinking water.
Action Level or AL: The concentration of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements, which a water system must follow.
NTU - Nephelometric Turbidity Units
MFL - million fibers per liter (a measure of asbestos)
pCi/l - picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity)
ppm - parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/l)
ppb - parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (mg/l)
ppt - parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter
ppq - parts per quadrillion, or picograms per liter

INORGANICS

Year	Constituent	Highest Level at Any Sampling Point	Range of Detected Levels	MCL	MCLG	Unit of Measure	Source of Constituent
2002	Barium	0.0864	0.0307 - 0.0864	2	2	ppm	Disharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Chromium	5.19	0.0000 - 5.1900	100	100	ppb	Discharge from steel and pulp mills; Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Fluoride	1.1	0.0433 - 1.1000	4	4	ppm	Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strang teeth; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.
2002	Nitrate	1.73	0.1730 - 5.8400	10	10	ppm	Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Gross alpha adjusted	4.5	0.0000 - 4.5000	15	0	pci/l	Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Combined Radium 226 & 228	2.4	2.4000 - 2.4000	5	0	pci/l	Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Gross beta emitters	6.6	0.0000 - 6.6000	50	0	pci/l	Erosion of natural and man-made deposits.

ORGANICS

Year	Constituent	Highest Average of Any Sampling Point	Range of Detected Levels	MCL	MCLG	Unit of Measure	Source of Constituent
2002 - 2002	Xylenes	0.005	0.0000 - 0.0050	10	10	ppm	Disharge from petroleum factories; Discharge from chemical factories.
2002 - 2002	Ethylbenzene	0.78	0.0000 - 0.7800	700	700	ppb	Disharge from petroleum factories.

DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS

Year	Constituent	Highest Average of Any Sampling Point	Range of Detected Levels	MCL	MCLG	Unit of Measure	Source of Constituent
2002	Total Haloaectic Acids	41.215	0.00 - 136.40	60	0	ppb	By product of drinking water disinfection.
2002	Total Trihalomethanes	90.585	6.00 - 284.80	80	0	ppb	By product of drinking water disinfection.

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS

Year	Constituent	Average of All Sampling Points	Range of Detected Levels	Unit of Measure	Reason for Monitoring
2002 - 2002	Chloroform	19.75	0.0000 - 88.1000	ppb	Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.
2002 - 2002	Bromoform	1.07	0.0000 - 5.0000	ppb	Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.
2002 - 2002	Bromodichloromethane	11.35	0.0000 - 41.1000	ppb	Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.
2002 - 2002	Dibromochloromethane	6.2	0.0000 - 26.0000	ppb	Unregulated contaminant monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether it needs to regulate those contaminants.

TURBIDITY

Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing oprganisms. These iorganisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea and associated headaches.

Year	Constituent	Highest single measurement	Lowest monthly % of samples meetings limits	Turbidity limits	Unit of measure	Source of constituent
2002	Turbidity	*	*	0	NTU	Soil runoff.

*TURBIDITY DATA FURNISHED BY THE WATER SYSTEM

LEAD AND COPPER

Year	Constituent	The 90th percentile	Number of sites exceeding action level	Action level	Unit of measure	Source of constituent
2000	Lead	9.2000	0	15	ppb	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits.
2000	Copper	0.3130	0	1.3	ppm	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives.

TOTAL COLIFORM - NOT DETECTED
FECAL COLIFORM - NOT DETECTED

VIOLATIONS

Violation Type	Health Effects	Duration	Explanation - Steps to Correct
MCL - TOTAL TRIHALOMETHANE (TTHM)	Some people who drink the water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.	10/01/2002 - 12/31/2002	See below*

GROUNDWATER OBTAINED FROM MESA WELLS, CARRIZO - WILCOX AQUIFER

Year	Contaminant	Highest Level at Any Sampling Point	Range of Detected Levels	MCL	MCLG	Unit of Measure	Violation Y/N	Likely source of contamination
2002	Barium	.086	0.086 - 0.086	2	2	ppm	N	Disharge of drilling wastes and metal refineries; Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Copper	.005	0.005 - 0.005	1.3	1.3	ppm	N	Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives.
2002	Fluoride	.04	0.04 - 0.04	4	4	ppm	N	Erosion of natural deposits; Discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories.
2002	Nitrate	.17	.17 - .17	10	10	ppm	N	Runoff from fertilizer; Leaching from septic tanks; Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Beta/photon emitter	8.5	8.5 - 8.5	50	0	mrem/yr	N	Decay of natural and man-made deposits
2002	Alpha Emitters	5.7	5.7 - 5.7	15	0	pci/l	N	Erosion of natural deposits.
2002	Combined Radium	1.7	1.6 - 1.7	5	0	pci/l	N	Erosion of natural deposits.
Year	Contaminant	Avg. of all sampling points	Range of Detected Levels	MCL	MCLG	Unit of Measure	Violation Y/N	Likely source of contamination
2002	Total Tri - halomethanes	.225	0.00 - 1.30	80	0	ppb	N	Erosion of natural and man-made deposits.

FROM THE MANAGER

This memo is a follow-up to the notices you received from Crystal Clear Water Supply Corporation (CCWSC) in January 2003 and June 2003 regarding total trihalomethanes (Total THMs) detected in CCWSC's water supply and the steps we are taking to correct the Total THMs levels, as well as other issues relating to CCWSC's water supply.

In regard to Total THMs, CCWSC receives water from New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) and Canyon Regional Water Authority (CRWA) that is treated at their respective water treatment plants, and delivered to CCWSC. This water is surface water out of the Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers. Surface water must be treated to prevent bacterial contamination. Chlorine Gas is the most common means of accomplishing this but it has been found to produce byproducts called trihalomethanes (i.e. THM's) as well as Haliocitic Acids (HAC's). THM's have recently become a regulated constituent, and as indicated in the Januaury and June notices, CCWSC water supply exceeded the maximum containment level (MCL) for Total THM's during the fourth quarter of 2002. However, as also stated in the June notice, CCWSC did achieve its goal of lowering TTHM's in its water supply, although the yearly average, because of the fourth quarter of 2002, is still above the MCL. CCWSC is working diligently with our wholesale providers to change the disinfection chemicals from free chlorine to chloramines which is found to significantly reduce TTHMs.

In addition to changing the disinfection chemicals, we are also looking to change detention times (i.e. holding time) in our distribution system and developing new sources of water, all designed in part to reduce TTHMs levels and improve our water quality and quantity. We would like also to assure you that our groundwater and water from our wholesale providers is safe to drink! If for any unforeseen reason there is an immediate health risk we will not hesitate to inform you. Keeping your water supply safe to drrink comes at a high cost and the CCWSC staff and Board of Directors have worked hard over the years to keep rates as low as possible, and will continue to do so. Due to increased regulatory requirements and increased cost of obtaining and treating raw waters to new standards of public safety, we are faced with necessary periodic increases in our water rates and membership fees. We will update you as we progress in this matter. Lastly, in regards to rate increases, the monthly minimum will be raised to $20.00. All other rates remain the same at this time.

Thank you for your continued support and if you have any qyestions concerning these or any other water related issues, please give us a call at our office (1-800-659-1031).