Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) and water quality

• What is the source of your drinking water?   Where does your water ORIGINATE?  (It is treated at a water treatment plant, but what watershed or aquifer is the sources of the water?)

The majority of San Francisco water sources come from groundwater and some water comes from the surface. San Francisco water system has its origins in surface water. The main source of SF drinking water is soil runoff 

• What chemicals were found in your water that were higher than expected?

Copper and lead (from internal corrosion of household water plumbing systems) ranges in SF drinking water may be slightly higher than the average (or max)

• What chemicals did you NOT expect to find in your water?

I didn't see any unexpected chemicals in SF water. Copper and lead may be found old houses water, but that is due old plumbing system, which I found reasonable. However, I am not happy about it.

• Are there associated health risks with the chemicals found in your water?  (sources for this last question include the EPA, CDC, ATSDR and the National Library of Medicine's ToxNet program.

According to the EPA, lead is a toxic chemical, which may cause serious health complications such as permanent lead poisoning: hair loss and even brain damage. 

Too much copper can cause adverse health effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. It has also been associated with liver damage and kidney disease.

• Where does your water come from? The source! Track it from the source to your tap.

San Francisco water source originates from spring snowmelt flowing down the Tuolumne River to storage in Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. San Francisco well protected Sierra water source is exempt from filtration requirements by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water (SWRCB-DDW). https://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=634 

• What did you discover about your water quality?

I talked about the water quality and condition of pipes with my landlord. As far as I know, our water is safe and the pipes are in good condition. 

• Do you use a filter for your water?

Yet I do use a Brita filter for water all the time. 

• What are you trying to filter out?

My water filter protects me from too much mercury, copper, chlorine and cadmium. 

• Do you drink bottled water?   How does this square with what you learned when you watched the Story of Bottled Water (see next exercise)?

I rarely drink bottled water when I am home because carrying it is heavy and I prefer using the water filter.