DRINKING WATER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Water Quality Programs

It is important to the City of Lacey that our drinking water customers, their families and businesses receive the highest quality drinking water.  Learn about all the programs that the City implements to ensure that your water is safe and reliable all day, every day.

2016 Drinking Water Quality Testing Results

Health Information About Drinking Water: What You Should Know

Annual Water Quality Reports

Waterline Flushing Program

Wellhead Protection Program

Take Action to Protect Groundwater

 

The drinking water delivered to your home by the City of Lacey's water utility met or exceeded all regulations and mandates established by the Environmental Protection Agency for 2016.  The results can be reviewed below.  The results will provide you important information about lead and other contaminants that may be present in all drinking water sources.  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, some pregnant women and some infants can be particularly at risk from infections and are encouraged to learn more and seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.  If you have any questions about this data or the quality of your drinking water, please contact Lacey Water Resources at WaterResources@ci.lacey.wa.us or at (360) 491-5600.

 

2016 Water Quality Testing Results For City of Lacey Drinking Water Sources

Public Water System ID: 43500

Primary Contaminants Regulated by EPA to protect Public Health 

Contaminant

Highest Level Allowed (MCL)

Goal Not to Exceed (MCLG)

Highest Level Detected

Lowest Level Detected

Date of Highest Level Detected

Typical Source of Contaminant

 Total Chromium (ppt)

 100,000

100,000 

560 ppt 

 <200

 6/29/2015

 Geology, natural weathering

 Copper (ppb)

1300

1300

26

<20

10/31/13

Geology, natural weathering 

 Lead (ppb)

15

0

1

<1

10/31/13 

Geology, natural weathering

Nitrate (ppm)

10

10

5

<1

5/13/2015

Septic systems, fertilizer, animal waste

Total Coliform Bacteria (% monthly samples testing positive)

5% of samples/ month

0% of samples/ month

0% of samples/ month

 --

 --

Naturally present in the environment

Chlorine Residual (ppm)

4

4

1.2

 0

5/12/2016 

Added as a disinfectant to the water system

Total Trihalomethanes (ppb)

 

80

-- 

15

<0.5  

4/27/2016

Reaction between chlorine and naturally occurring organic matter in drinking water

chloroform (ppb)

 --

70

 11

10

3/05/2016

Disinfection byproduct

 bromodichloromethane (ppb)

 --

 0

 3

 2

 4/27/2016

 Disinfection byproduct

 dibromochloromethane (ppb)

 --

 60

 1

 <1

 4/27/2016

 Disinfection byproduct

Total Haloacetic acids (ppb)

60

NA

14

<0.5

4/27/2016

Reaction between chlorine and organic matter in drinking water

 dichloroacetic acid (ppb)

-- 

0

5

5

3/05/2016

Disinfection byproduct

 trichloroacetic acid (ppb)

--

20

8

8 

3/05/2016

Disinfection byproduct

 dibromoacetic acid (ppb)

 --

 0

 1

 

<1

 

 4/27/2016

  Disinfection byproduct

Secondary Standards Regulated by EPA for Aesthetics (Taste, Smell or Color, for example)   

 Contaminant

 Highest Level Allowed (MCL)

Goal Not to Exceed (MCLG)

Highest Level Detected

Lowest Level Detected

Date of Highest Level Detected

Typical Source of Contaminant

Chloride (ppm)

250

-- 

21

2

10/4/2011

Geology, natural weathering

Iron (ppb)

300

--

160

<100

4/28/2016

Geology, natural weathering

Manganese (ppb)

50

--

30

<10

1/28/2016

Geology, natural weathering

Sulfate (ppm)

250

 --

12

3

12/3/2011

Geology, natural weathering

Conductivity (µS/cm)

700

--

378

139

10/31/2013

Geology, natural weathering

Regulated by the State at the Consumer's Tap

Contaminant

State Action Level (AL)

Goal Not to Exceed (MCLG)

90% percentile

# Samples Over State Action Level

 Date of Highest Level Detected

Typical Source of Contaminant

Copper (ppb)

1300

1300

800

1 sample 

9/27/2016

Corrosion of household plumbing or erosion of natural deposits

Lead+ (ppb)

15

0

6 

1 samples 

10/6/2016

Corrosion of household plumbing or erosion of natural deposits

Unregulated Contaminants- Sampled as Required by EPA

 Contaminant        

 State Action Level

Goal Not to Exceed (MCLG)

 Highest Level Detected

 Lowest Level Detected

 Date of Highest Level Detected

Typical Source of Contaminant

 Chlorate (ppb)

 Unregulated

 --

 340

 37

 6/29/2015

Disinfection byproduct from sodium hypochlorite

 Hexavalent Chromium (ppt)

 Unregulated

 --

 540

30

 6/29/2015

Geology, industrial uses

 Strontium (ppb)

 Unregulated

 --

110

 <0.3

 6/30/2015

Geology, historical use in cathode-ray TVs

 Vanadium (ppb)

 Unregulated

 --

 6

 <0.2

 6/30/2015

Geology, industrial uses

 

 

+LEAD: If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.  Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing.  The City of Lacey is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components.  When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.  If you are concerned about lead in your drinking water, consider having a commercial water laboratory analyze a water sample from your tap. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

 

1Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask for advice from your health care provider.  

 

 

Important Drinking Water Definitions

 ppb Parts per Billion

 ppm Parts per Million
 ppt Parts per Trillion
 µS/cm Microsiemen per Centimeter
 mg/L Milligram per Liter
 NA Not Available
 NTU Nephelometric Turbidity Units
 MCLG Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there are no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
 MCL Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
 AL Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
 SRL State Reporting Level
 Trigger Level A level set by Washington State DOH that if compounds are detected above this level will trigger additional sampling.

  

  

 

Health Information About Your Water: What You Should Know

 

 

 The Washington State Department of Health compiled Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) data for all community public water systems in Washington. SWAP data for your public water system is online at www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater. If you don’t have access to the Web, we encourage you to use the Internet service available through the public library system.

 

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably 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 EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

 

To ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the Department of Health and EPA prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Washington Department of Agriculture regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health.

 

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immuno-compromised persons such as person 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 from their health care providers.  EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available by calling the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

 

The sources of all drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells.  City of Lacey tap water is pumped from underground wells.  As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolved naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

 

For these reasons, the City of Lacey continually monitors our drinking water before it is delivered to your tap.  The City also treats your drinking water with chlorine to help ensure that you are receiving the highest quality possible.

 

Contaminants that may be present in all source water include:

    • Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment facilities, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
    • Inorganic contaminants, such as, salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or 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 byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
    • Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring, or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. 

 

More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or by visiting the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline Page online at www.epa.gov/safewater.

 

 


 

 

 

WATER QUALITY REPORTS

 

 

 

 

It's important that the City’s drinking water customers know that they, their families and businesses receive the highest quality drinking water.  When you go to your tap, you can have confidence in the fact that the City of Lacey operates a reliable, first-class water system. View our recent drinking water quality reports to learn more.



WATERLINE FLUSHING PROGRAM

The City of Lacey maintains over 400 miles of pipe to make sure you receive clean water each and every day! In order to consistently provide high quality drinking water, the Lacey Water Utility established a preventative maintenance program known as the Uni-Directional Flushing (UDF) program to clean all lines throughout the water distribution system.  more»



WELLHEAD PROTECTION PROGRAM

 

 

The City of Lacey relies on multiple groundwater sources to provide a safe and reliable potable water supply for its growing community. This includes 20 wells that draw water from three underground aquifers.

 

In 1995, the City began implementing its Wellhead Protection Program as a commitment to protect the environment and prevent groundwater contamination. In order to keep our drinking water safe, the program outlines water quality monitoring, risk of contamination, and more!

 

You can view the entire Wellhead Protection Program here:  Water Comprehensive Plan- Ch. 6

 

Groundwater contamination occurs when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, or chemicals get into the groundwater making it hazardous to human health. One way contamination can occur is a chemical spill on the land's surface. These chemicals slowly sink and move through the soil ending up in our underground aquifers. Depending on the location and direction of flow, these chemicals travel through the aquifer to a pumping well that supplies our drinking water.

 

 

What is a Wellhead Protection Area?

 

A wellhead protection area is the area around a well where activities and land uses can influence water quality in groundwater that supplies that well. Careful management of land uses within wellhead protection areas reduce the risk of contaminating groundwater.

 

Wellhead protection areas are mapped to show how long it takes for groundwater to move through the underground aquifer towards a pumping well.  The protection area is split into three or four time-based zones, usually consisting of the 6-month, the 1-year, the 5-year, and the 10-year time-of-travel zones. Most pro-active land use protections are taken within the 1-year time travel zone because these areas have the most affect on water quality at drinking water source wells.

 

Critical components that ensure our drinking water stays clean include:

 

      • Identifying Wellhead Protection Areas (WHPAs) and assessing the vulnerability of each well to contamination.
      • Identifying and notifying owners of potential sources of groundwater contamination within WHPAs.
      • Extensive notification network to owners and operators, local regulatory agencies, and local emergency responders.
      • Spill response plan.
      • Identifying land use restrictions and requirements in development guidelines, Lacey Municipal Code, and planning documents.
      • Monitoring water quality within WHPAs.
      • Educating residents and commercial businesses about the importance of wellhead protection and what they can do to help protect groundwater quality.

 

 

To find out if you live within a wellhead protection area, type your address into the following map!

 

 

In the GREEN area, it takes water 10 years to travel through the aquifer and reach the wellhead.

in the YELLOW area, it takes water 5 years to travel through the aquifer and reach the wellhead.

In the RED area, it takes water 1 year to travel through the aquifer and reach the wellhead.

In the PURPLE area, it takes water six months to travel through the aquifer and reach the wellhead.

 


TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT GROUNDWATER

 

Nitrate is a chemical that is essential for all life, but human activities can increase nitrates in the environment to levels that can be harmful to humans and wildlife.

 

Nitrates form when microorganisms break down fertilizers, decaying plants, animal manure and human waste. Nitrate is highly mobile in water and because of this, it is found in both surface water and groundwater.

 

The principal sources of nitrates in groundwater in our region is associated with livestock, fertilizer application, and septic system discharges.

 

Here are some small actions you can take to protect our water from increasing nitrate levels!

 

  • Use fertilizer sparingly.

Consider testing your soil first to determine the amount of fertilizer needed. Fertilize only once in fall and/or spring if needed. Always follow the directions provided with your fertilizer exactly. Look for fertilizers that are "slow-release".

 

  • For your health and safety, carefully dispose of hazardous chemicals like motor oil, batteries, paints, pesticides, etc.

 

You can dispose of these items for FREE at Thurston County's HazoHouse. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at 2420  Hogum Bay Road NE in Lacey. For questions call HazoHouse at (360) 867-2912 or visit their website: HazoHouse 

 

  • Prescriptions and out-of-date medications that are no longer used should NOT be flushed down the toilet. In order to make sure they are disposed of properly, head over to the City of Lacey Police Department and put them in the drop box.

The drop box offers convenient 24-hour access to the public. The box is located outside the main entrance of the Lacey Police Department, 420 College Street SE, Lacey, WA, 98503. map

 

 

  • Properly dispose of your pet's waste.

Always pick up and bag dog poop and place it in the trash. Always bag litter from cats and other small pets and place it in the trash. Drain aquariums to the sanitary sewer through a toilet or sink, if possible.

 

            Did you know that your neighborhood might be eligible to get a FREE pet waste station?

            Visit our Pet Waste page for more information!

  

  • Maintain your home's wastewater system!

 

Whether you own a septic tank or are connected to the City's sewer system via lateral connection, it's important to maintain your home's wastewater system. Only flush what comes out of your body and toilet paper. Call a plumber if you notice any unusual wet spots and/or odors in your home or yard.

 

  • Proper septic system maintenance is vital to keeping your septic tank working properly.

 

Have your system inspected annually and pumped a minimum of every 3-5 years.

 

Only flush the three P's: pee, poop, and (toilet) paper.

 

Never drive or park a vehicle on the septic tank or drainfield.

  

Considering connecting to the City's sewer system? Now is a great time!

 

The City of Lacey in partnership with the LOTT Clean Water Alliance is offering a 50-75% rebate for eligible property owners converting from septic system to the City sewer system. For more information email WaterResources@ci.lacey.wa.us or call 360-486-8707.