PO Box A, La Joya, Texas 78560(956) 585-2459
TDD#: 1-888-640-2964
TDD#: (956)583-2964
Annual Water Quality Report (Water testing performed in 2006)
Water Treatment Process
The treatment process consists of a series of steps. First, raw water is drawn from our water source and sent to a mixing tank where chlorine dioxide, liquid ammonium sulfate and chlorine are added for disinfection. Then a blend of aluminum sulfate, polymer and liquid copper sulfate are added. These substances cause small particles to adhere to one another (called floc), making them heavy enough to settle into a basin where the sediment is removed. Chlorine dioxide is then added for disinfection. At this point, the water is filtered through layers of fine coal and silicate sand. As smaller, suspended particles are removed, turbidity disappears and clear water emerges. The clarified and treated water is held in storage tanks, then pumped through water distribution water lines to our homes and businesses.
Emergency/Supplemental Water Sources
Source Water Name: City of Mission
Length of Time Used: January 2006 to December 2006
Explanation of Use: Supplemental Supply
Contact: Mike Garcia Water Treatment Supervisor, 956-580-8780
Source Water Assessment
A Source Water Susceptibility Assessment for your drinking water source(s) is currently being updated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and will be provided to us this year. The report will describe the susceptibility and types of constituents that may come into contact with your drinking water source based on human activities and natural conditions. The information contained in the assessment will allow us to focus our source protection strategies. For more information on source assessments and protection efforts at our system, please contact us.
Where Do We Get Our Drinking Water?
Our drinking water is obtained from surface water sources. It comes from the Rio Grande watershed via a series of earthen and concrete lined canals. The water is settled at La Joya Lake and the Palmview Reservoir, from which it is drawn for further treatment. A small portion of our drinking water was purchased from the City of Mission last year and they are also a surface water system using the Rio Grande.
Special Notice for the Elderly, Infants, Cancer Patients, People with HIV/AIDS or Other Immune Problems
You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly, or immunocompromised persons such as those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer; those who have undergone organ transplants; those who are undergoing treatment with steroids; and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders can be particularly at risk from infections.
You should seek advice about drinking water from your physician or health care provider. Additional guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium are available from the U.S. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
All Drinking Water May Contain Contaminants
To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the U.S. EPA prescribes regulations limiting the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of these contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk.
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it can acquire naturally occurring minerals, in some cases, radioactive material; and substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Substances that may be present in source water include:
- Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife;
- Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or may result from urban
stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; - Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses;
- Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and which may also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems;
- Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or may be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. Contaminants may be found in drinking water that may cause taste, color, or odor problems. These types of problems are not necessarily causes for health concerns. For more information on taste, odor, or color of drinking water, please contact our business office. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the U.S. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.
- Naturally Occurring Bacteria
The simple fact is, bacteria and other microorganisms inhabit our world. They can be found all around us: in our food; on our skin; in our bodies; and, in the air, soil, and water. Some are harmful to us and some are not. Coliform bacteria are common in the environment and are generally not harmful themselves. The presence of this bacterial form in drinking water is a concern because it indicates that the water may be contaminated with other organisms that can cause disease.
Throughout the year, we tested 480 samples (40 samples every month) for coliform bacteria. In that time, one of the samples came back positive for the bacteria. Federal regulations now require that public water that tests positive for coliform bacteria must be further analyzed for fecal coliform bacteria. Fecal coliforms are present only in human and animal waste. Because these bacteria can cause illness, it is unacceptable for fecal coliforms to be present in water at any concentration. Our tests indicate no fecal coliform is present in our water.
Public Participation Opportunities
You are invited to participate in a meeting to discuss this report and voice your concerns about your drinking water. We will have a meeting on Wednesday July 18, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. at the La Joya WSC Board Room located at the La Joya WSC offices at 3510 N. Abram, La Joya, TX.
Sampling Results
During the past year we have taken hundreds of water samples in order to determine the presence of any radioactive, biological, inorganic, volatile organic or synthetic organic contaminants. The table below shows only those contaminants that were detected in the water. Although all of the substances listed here are under the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), we feel it is important that you know exactly what was detected and how much of the substance was present in the water.
The state allows us to monitor for certain substances less than once per year because the concentrations of these substances do not change frequently. In these cases, the most recent sample data are included, along with the year in which the sample was taken.
Our Compliance Goals
Currently, our system is operating under an enforcement order negotiated between the receiver and the State of Texas. The violations are related to water treatment plant capacity, transfer pumping capacity, elevated storage capacity, and high service pumping capacity. Receiver Pablo Vela Jr. has made provisions and borrowed funds to bring these facilities into compliance. Work has started on some of the pumping issues and on an elevated storage tank along Seven Mile Line, Salida del Sol will be constructed this summer, and the new 6- million-gallon water plant is in the last stages of review by the TCEQ and should start construction in 2008. The violations are infrastructure related and there are no violations of the drinking water or water quality problems.