5.4 Blog about your 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?)

After reading about the treatment facility processes around the country, it was interesting to look into San Francisco's water treatment process and origins. According to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, about 85% of our water comes from the Hetch Hetchy Resorvoir with the remaining sourced from surface reservoirs in Alameda and San Mateo Counties. While the latter two are fairly local, I'm curious what path our water takes when it comes from Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite. 

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

Reviewing the Annual Water Quality Report from 2017 showed me what exactly was in our water last year. I was surprised to see how many chemicals there are, but also realized many are from the disinfection process itself. I hope they're safe to drink! I did not see anything listed in the "Action Level" range according to the chart's key so I am relieved that everything is "safe". Although, after finishing "Having Faith" I wonder if these levels were set with pregnant women and children in mind...

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

Other than the cleaning products, I was surprised to see sulfates and lead. The former I know to buy home products without so am not pleased to see them in my water. The latter reports being at a safe level (15ppb) but is still disconcerting to see on the list. 

• 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.

Both sulfates and lead have health risks associated. While I could not find any health risks associated with "sulfate" (there are many different ones!), lead certainly has some. According to the Hazardous Substance Database, "lead affects the developing nervous system of children, and no safe blood lead level (BLL) in children has been identified." So even at our low quantity of15 ppb, does this mean kids aren't safe?

All this said, I certainly still drink my city's tap water and love that luxury!