Source Water Assessment

The California Department of Health Services (DHS) requires water providers to conduct a source water assessment to help protect the quality of future water supplies. This assessment describes where a water system's drinking water comes from, the types of polluting activities that may threaten source water quality, and an evaluation of the water's vulnerability to those threats.

To meet the DHS requirements and provide our customers with information about our water supply, the district completed its surface water assessment in May 2003 and its groundwater assessment in July 2003.

The results indicate that our surface water source (the American River) is considered most vulnerable to contamination from sewer system spills, body contact recreation, urban runoff, and discharge of regulated and unregulated contaminants. The contaminants to which the surface water sources are considered most vulnerable include the following:

• Percholorate, nitrosomodimethylamine and volatile organic, chemicals were discharged into the American River by the Aerojet General Corporation. Aerojet is under the joint regulatory oversight of the EPA, the California Department of Toxic Substance Control, and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The groundwater sources are considered most vulnerable to the following activities associated with contaminants detected in the water supply: dry cleaners and manufacturers of rocket fuel. In addition, the groundwater sources are considered most vulnerable to these activities:

• Illegal activities and unauthorized dumping
• Sewer collection systems
• Dry cleaners
• Automobile repair shops
• Chemical/petroleum pipelines
• Electrical/electronic manufacturing
• Underground storage tanks
• Gas stations

A copy of the complete assessment is available for inspection at the Carmichael Water District office.