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Introduction - In 1996 Congress re-authorized the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) which requires the EPA to set regulations limiting the amounts of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. In accordance with SDWA, we will continue to provide our customers, with information on a yearly basis regarding the types of testing done and contaminants that were detected during the previous year. The purpose of these reports is to provide our consumers with information, which will allow them to make informed choices regarding their drinking water.
Service and Quality - The Shelter Bay Community’s Maintenance Department is committed to providing our customers with a safe and reliable supply of high-quality drinking water, along with superior customer service. Together with the La Conner and Anacortes Water Departments and various government agencies, we are working to utilize the latest information and technologies to provide you with safe drinking water.
NOTE: Shelter Bay Community received an operating violation notice from the Washington State Department of Health for failure to report daily chlorine residuals for our drinking water supply. All required testing had been completed and documented, and all regulatory limits were met.
Sources - The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. As water moves through the air, over the surface of the land and through the ground it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and in some cases, radioactive materials and can also pick up substances resulting from the activities of humans and the presence of animals.
Shelter Bay ’s water comes from a surface water source, originating at the City of Anacortes Water Treatment Plant on the Skagit River near Mount Vernon via the transmission lines through the City of La Conner. The Skagit River basin covers over 3000 square miles from British Columbia, Canada to Skagit Bay near La Conner, Washington. It passes through portions of Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties, and through dams, forests, farms and several cities and towns with numerous businesses and industries along the way.
Shelter Bay’s water main starts at the south side of the Swinomish Channel and runs to the community’s maintenance shop pump house, where booster pumps supply the community’s operating water pressure. Additionally the community can provide water during emergency conditions to the Swinomish Indian Reservation via the community’s intertie connection. The community also provides water to the Eagle’s Nest community. Our system has approximately 10 miles of piping ranging from ¾-inch to 8-inches in diameter. We have a 147,000-gallon reservoir (water tank), which provides system pressure balancing and emergency reserve water storage.
Contaminants, which may be present in source water, include:
Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria from sewage and septic tanks, livestock or wildlife.
Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or resulting from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater, petroleum production, mining or farming, pesticides and herbicides, which may come from residential, urban storm water runoff and agriculture.
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic compounds which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of petroleum production or mining activities.
Facts: Drinking water, both bottled and tap, may be reasonably expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. The FDA establishes regulations for bottled water. A contaminant is defined as any substance or matter in water. Not all contaminants are harmful and some are of concern only above certain levels. The EPA has established both primary and secondary standards for drinking water.
More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s SDWA hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or at their Website: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/hfacts.html. Additional information can be found at www.doh.gov and www.awwa.org. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.
| Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons undergoing chemotherapy, people with transplanted organs, people with AIDS/HIV or other immune system disorders, the elderly and infants can be at higher risk for infections. These people should seek advice from their health care providers. Information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
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Definitions and Abbreviations
Action Level (AL) – The concentrations of a contaminant, which if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.
DOH – Washington State Department of Health
EPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency
Finished Water – Treated water entering the distribution system.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCL’s are set as close to MCLG’s as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) -The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety.
mg/L - milligrams per liter; converts to parts per million
Microbiological – These are potentially harmful microorganisms, which may be naturally occurring or introduced by humans or animals. Cryptosporidium and Giardia are microscopic organisms that, when ingested, can cause fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain that can last from a few days to months, with onset of symptoms within 2 to 12 days after exposure. The disease can be transmitted by ingesting the organism in contaminated water or food, person-to-person contact and other exposure routes. The disease cryptosporidiosis can be fatal to young children, the elderly or immune-compromised individuals.
PPB - Parts per billion, the approximate equivalent of one drop in 22,000 gallons
PPM - Parts per million, the approximate equivalent of one drop in 22 gallons
Primary Standards are mandatory standards established and enforced by the Washington State DOH and the U.S. EPA. These include maximum contaminant levels, and maximum contaminant level goals, action levels, and treatment techniques.
TT – Treatment technique, a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
mg/L – micrograms per liter; converts to parts per billion
| Throughout the year 2008, the Shelter Bay Community Water Department has been collecting a minimum of four samples per month to test for the presence of coliform bacteria and daily monitoring of residual chlorine levels. The samples are taken throughout the community, tested by AVOCET laboratories and results are forwarded to the state DOH. None of the samples taken in 2008 indicated the presence of coliform bacteria.
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Questions and Answers
Is our water fluoridated? No, our water does not contain fluoride. The City of Anacortes fluoridates their water at the entrance to their system in Anacortes, but neither La Conner nor Shelter Bay does.
What treatment is done to our water? Simply put, our water is filtered and chlorinated at the Anacortes Water Treatment Plant and no further treatment is done by La Conner or Shelter Bay Water Department.
Do I need to boil my water after a temporary water disruption? No; following a disruption of service for repairs you do not need to boil your water afterward. The Shelter Bay Water Department is required to disinfect all pipes and materials used in repairs. In the event of system contamination, flood or other major catastrophe, you would be notified by the department of any necessary precautions or action needed to be taken.
Have there been any significant changes to our water system? No, there have not been any changes to the water system infrastructure since the previous year.
Where can I go for answers? You can direct questions or concerns about this report to your Public Works Manager (360) 466-4747 or mail comments to Shelter Bay Community, Inc., 1000 Shoshone Drive, La Conner, WA. 98257. For answers to billing questions you should call Shelter Bay Community Billing Department at (360) 466-3805. For questions about the community water system, testing, maintenance and to report leaks you should call the Shelter Bay Maintenance Department at (360) 466-4747 between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM Monday through Friday or (360) 202-2391 in the case of a emergency.
For more information, to discuss issues, and/or get involved, Shelter Bay Community board meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Community Club House located on Shoshone Drive. The water department regularly posts public information regarding issues such as emergency preparedness, water shortages and conservation tips on the public bulletin board located in the lobby of the business office.
Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre agua potable. Traduzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Chlorine
Average chlorine residual was .032 mg/L with the range of detection ranging from 0.18 - 0.48 mg/L.
| Contaminant | (units) | MCLG | MCL | Level Detected | Range of Detections | Violations | Date of Sample | Typical Source of Contamination |
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| Lead |
| Shelter Bay | (mg/L) | 0 | 0.15 | 0.002 | <.002 - .004 | None | 2007 | Corrosion of household plumbing. erosion of natural deposits. |
| La Conner | (mg/L) | 0 | 0.15 | 0.004 | <.002 - .004 | None | 2008 |
| Copper |
| Shelter Bay | (mg/L) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.017 | <.020 - .230 | None | 2007 | Same as above, leaching from wood preservatives. |
| La Conner | (mg/L) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.036 | .005 - .036 | None | 2008 |
| Arsenic |
| Shelter Bay | (mg/L) |
0 |
0.01 | 0 | <.0051 - .50 | None | 2003 | Leaching of mineral industrial activities, mining. |
| La Conner | (mg/L) | 0 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | None | 2002 |
| Total Trihalomethanes |
| Shelter Bay | (μg/L) |
0 |
80 | 30.1 | 0.5 – 80.0 |
None | 2008 |
By-product of drinking water chlorination. |
| La Conner | (μg/L) | 0 | 80 | 21.7 | 8.5 – 33.7 | None | 2008 |
| Haloacetic Acid (HAA5) |
| Shelter Bay | (μg/L) |
0 |
80 | 16.1 |
< 1.0 – 60.0 |
None | 2008 |
By-product of drinking water chlorination. |
| La Conner | (μg/L) | 0 | 80 | 15.95 |
< 8.5 – 22.2 |
None | 2008 |
NOTE: The City of Anacortes, which provides water to the Town of La Conner, did not have any testing violations or water quality samplings that did not meet DOH standards during the calendar year of 2008. More information can be obtained at http://www.cityofanacortes.org.
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