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TRUCKEE, Calif. — A Glenshire Drive well has spiked above federal standards for arsenic, but Truckee Donner Public Utility District officials say it shouldn't pose a serious health risk.
The Environmental Protection Agency standard for arsenic, a semi-metal element, is 10 parts per billion, down from 50 parts per billion in 2006. According to the EPA, arsenic enters water supplies from natural deposits in the earth.
“The well has been compliant since construction, but during routine testing we had a sample come back at 13 parts per billion,” said Ed Taylor, water utility director for the district, at the Oct. 21 board meeting.
Public Information and Conservation Manager Steven Poncelet said staff took quarterly samples after that initial reading, averaging 12.1 parts per billion, and shut the well down on Sept. 28.
“The district takes this very seriously and took immediate action to shut down the well, but even though we take it very seriously the threat is really long term, measured in decades, not weeks,” said district General Manager Michael Holley.
According to the EPA website, www.epa.gov, the standard for arsenic is set at 10 parts per billion to protect the public from long-term, chronic exposure.
Shutting down the well won't hinder the district's ability to deliver water to customers, Poncelet said. Letters from the utility district detailing the issue will go out to all customers next week, he added.
Poncelet said the system-wide average for the district's water is 6.5 parts per billion, well below the standard.
The utility district has the option to physically modify the well to reduce arsenic levels, treat the well water to take arsenic out, abandon the well or blend the well water with other water, thereby reducing the concentration, Taylor said.
He said they have elected to blend the water, carefully monitoring it, which should be up and running within the next two weeks.
“We're still doing testing to find out what happened,” Taylor said. “The short-term solution is blending, but we want to get that well back down to 10.”
According to the letter being sent out to customers, the district's goal is to have the well back in compliance within 30 days.
The modifications required to blend the well water is costing the district $5,000, and the more intensive monitoring will cost $10,000 per year, he said.
According to the EPA, long term exposure to arsenic can cause non-cancerous side effects such as thickening and discoloration of the skin; stomach pain; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver and prostate.
The Environmental Protection Agency standard for arsenic, a semi-metal element, is 10 parts per billion, down from 50 parts per billion in 2006. According to the EPA, arsenic enters water supplies from natural deposits in the earth.
“The well has been compliant since construction, but during routine testing we had a sample come back at 13 parts per billion,” said Ed Taylor, water utility director for the district, at the Oct. 21 board meeting.
Public Information and Conservation Manager Steven Poncelet said staff took quarterly samples after that initial reading, averaging 12.1 parts per billion, and shut the well down on Sept. 28.
“The district takes this very seriously and took immediate action to shut down the well, but even though we take it very seriously the threat is really long term, measured in decades, not weeks,” said district General Manager Michael Holley.
According to the EPA website, www.epa.gov, the standard for arsenic is set at 10 parts per billion to protect the public from long-term, chronic exposure.
Shutting down the well won't hinder the district's ability to deliver water to customers, Poncelet said. Letters from the utility district detailing the issue will go out to all customers next week, he added.
Poncelet said the system-wide average for the district's water is 6.5 parts per billion, well below the standard.
The utility district has the option to physically modify the well to reduce arsenic levels, treat the well water to take arsenic out, abandon the well or blend the well water with other water, thereby reducing the concentration, Taylor said.
He said they have elected to blend the water, carefully monitoring it, which should be up and running within the next two weeks.
“We're still doing testing to find out what happened,” Taylor said. “The short-term solution is blending, but we want to get that well back down to 10.”
According to the letter being sent out to customers, the district's goal is to have the well back in compliance within 30 days.
The modifications required to blend the well water is costing the district $5,000, and the more intensive monitoring will cost $10,000 per year, he said.
According to the EPA, long term exposure to arsenic can cause non-cancerous side effects such as thickening and discoloration of the skin; stomach pain; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver and prostate.
