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This 15th Annual Water Quality Report summarizes testing performed on Lodi’s water supply by State certified laboratories. This report follows the “Consumer Confidence Report” (CCR) format required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of California.

WHO ARE WE?

In 1910 your City of Lodi Water Utility officially began operation along with the Electric Utility, and for 93 years, the water system has been owned by the Citizens of Lodi. Ninety-two years ago there were only two wells and a few miles of water mains. In 2003 there were 25 wells, over 210 miles of mains, a water tower and a 1-million-gallon storage tank. Lodi delivers water to approximately 23,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Water rates, system expansion projects, and significant purchases are authorized by the Lodi City Council, which serves as the water utility’s official regulatory body. Lodi City Council meetings are open to the public and are scheduled for the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 305 West Pine Street in Lodi at 7:00 p.m.

YOUR DRINKING WATER SYSTEM

25 computer controlled wells, located throughout the City, provide high quality groundwater, our sole source of supply. The wells operate automatically on water pressure demand so that when water use increases, more wells come on line. A new well is planned for 2004 to keep up with water supply demands. However, the groundwater basin is being depleted.  Lodi has purchased rights to some surface water in the Mokelumne River.  The City is currently studying the most effective and cost efficient use of this surface water.

Currently seven wells are fitted with emergency diesel-powered generators. (While these generators will help maintain water pressure during power outages, please refrain from using water during power outages to save the capacity for emergency uses, i.e., fire fighting.) The water delivered to your tap meets or is better than all federal and state water quality standards.

BACTERIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY — CHLORINATION

Lodi takes over 20 samples per week from throughout Lodi’s water distribution system for bacterial water quality.  In 2003 the City of Lodi’s drinking water met all bacteriological standards. 

The water may be periodically chlorinated as a proactive step to help keep the water system in compliance with strict bacteriological standards, however, Lodi’s water does not normally contain chlorine.  The City will make an effort to inform you in local papers before your water is chlorinated.  When necessary however, the drinking water may be chlorinated before you can be informed. 

Recently the City of Lodi was ordered to start full time chlorination on the water system.  After discussing the issue in detail with State regulators, it was found that there was a misunderstanding on the results of City bacteriological testing and the order was rescinded. The City is also following the development of U.S. EPA draft regulations which may require that nearly every groundwater system like Lodi’s chlorinate year-round.

Drinking water Source Assessment

“An assessment of the drinking water sources for the City of Lodi’s water system was completed in February 2003. The sources are considered most vulnerable to the following activities: gas stations (current and historic), chemical/petroleum processing/storage, metal plating/finishing/fabricating, plastic/synthetics producers, dry cleaners, known contaminant plumes, sewer collection systems, fleet/truck/bus terminals, machine shops, utility stations-maintenance areas, agricultural drainage, and photo processing/printing.”

A copy of the completed assessment is available at the Public Works Department, City of Lodi, 1331 South Ham Lane, Lodi, CA 95242. You may request that a copy be sent to you by contacting Frank Beeler at (209) 333-6740.  A copy of the complete assessment is also available at the Department of Health Services, Drinking Water Field Operations Branch, Stockton District Office, 31 E Channel Street, Room 270, Stockton, California 95202. You may also request that a copy be sent to you by contacting Joseph O. Spano, District Engineer, at (209) 948-7696.

DOWNTOWN SOILS CLEAN-UP

The City, working with regulatory agencies in a cooperative fashion, is pursuing a resolution to a contamination problem in the north and central downtown Lodi area. While NO operating wells are out of compliance with any drinking water standards, there is PCE (Tetrachloroethylene) and TCE (Trichloroethylene) found in soils and shallow groundwater. The City continues to work towards clean-up/containment of these dry cleaning and industrial solvents through litigation and mediation with the various potentially responsible parties.

DBCP (Dibromochloropropane) UPDATE

DBCP was used by area farmers to kill nematodes in vineyards.  DBCP was banned in California in 1977, but is still present in trace levels in some groundwater. The City of Lodi used 25 wells to provide drinking water in 2003. The wells are rotated so over the course of time, water being delivered is a blend from these wells. Eleven of Lodi’s wells had no detectable DBCP.  Six wells have filters to remove DBCP. The remaining eight meet State and Federal standards, but have trace amounts of DBCP. The result is that the people of Lodi are being served water below the DBCP level deemed safe by the U.S. EPA and the State of California.

DBCP has been shown to increase cancer nodules in rats and mice when exposed to very high levels over their lifetimes. In theory these chemicals may also increase the risk of cancer in humans. Drinking water standards are set to reduce this risk and include a safety factor for the general population and take into account the cost and practicality of removing the particular contaminant. While there are scientists who say this theory is not justifiable, there are also those who feel that the standards do not protect sub-groups, such as children.

As a counterpoint, this theoretical risk of cancer has also been applied to many chemicals that occur in everyday foods. When chemicals that are found in everyday foods are tested in the same way, some scientists have found that many foods have a greater theoretical cancer hazard than DBCP in drinking water.

For more info, see the web site: http://potency. berkeley.edu/text/lehr.html (to better understand, the above web site, DBCP levels in Lodi’s water would have a HERP% of approximately 0.0005).

The U.S. EPA and State of California drinking water standard for DBCP has been set at 0.2 ppb to reduce the theoretical risk of cancer. This theoretical risk is based on lifetime (70 years) exposure and drinking about two quarts of water every day. The limit of 0.2 ppb equals one drop in 66,000 gallons of water. It would take over 350 years to drink 66,000 gallons of water at 2 quarts/day. Water meeting this standard is considered safe with respect to DBCP by the U.S. EPA and State of California Department of Health Services.

In 1996 the City settled a lawsuit against DBCP manufacturers, who have already paid the City for a large portion of Lodi’s costs related to DBCP treatment. The DBCP manufacturers will continue to pay a large portion of the City’s DBCP related costs for the settlement’s 40-year life.

If you have any questions about this report or Lodi’s water quality, please contact:

Assistant Water/Wastewater Superintendent • Frank Beeler 

1331 S. Ham Lane,  Lodi, CA  95242 • Telephone: (209) 333-6740 • E-mail: fbeeler@lodi.gov

To better understand the report, please note the description of terms and abbreviations

Terms and Abbreviations Used:

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.  Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCL’s are set to protect the odor, taste, and appearance of drinking water. 

Public Health Goal (PHG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency. 

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MCLGs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Regulatory Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.   

Primary Drinking Water Standard or PDWS: MCLs and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and water treatment requirements. 

Maximum residual disinfectant level (MRDL): The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer’s tap. 

Maximum residual disinfectant level goal (MRDLG): The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs are set the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

mg/L or ppm: Milligrams per liter, or parts per million (one ppm equals a concentration of about one cup in a 60,000 gallon swimming pool).

ug/L or ppb: Micrograms per liter, or parts per billion (one ppb equals about 4.5 drops in a 60,000 gallon swimming pool).  

ppt: Parts per trillion (one ppt equals less than 1/200 of a drop in a 60,000 gallon swimming pool).

pCi/L: Picocuries per liter (a measurement of radiation).

NA: Not Applicable.     

ND: Not Detected at measurable amounts for reporting purposes.

Grains/gal: Grains per gallon. A hardness measurement often used for softeners and dishwashers.  (17.1 mg/L = 1 grain/gal). 

umhos/cm: Micromhos per centimeter (a measurement of conductance).

<  Means less than the amount shown.

>  Means more than the amount shown.