Alpine County responds to report of unhealthy drinking water

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - "Pristine pure premium quality drinking water is freely
available to all in Alpine County," said Dr. Richard O. Johnson, the Alpine County Health Officer.

Johnson was responding to an article on californiahealthline.org on June 27, 2019. That article cast some doubts about the safety of drinking water available out of the tap for Alpine County residents and visitors.

The Alpine County Board of Supervisors had heard about the report and were contacted by residents concerned about the safety of their drinking water. They then contacted their own health department.

Johnson said he the contacted the author of the article to find out where they got their data and said the state database information had been misinterpreted. He said to understand the water situation in Alpine County some background information is necessary.

There are several hundred private wells in Alpine County, which are initially permitted by the County, but then managed by the owner. The Environmental Health Program staff of the Alpine County Public Health Department regulates about 40 small public water systems, including the Markleeville Water Company, Woodfords Mutual Water Company, Diamond Valley Elementary School, and numerous campgrounds. There are two large water systems which are regulated by the California State Water Resources Control Board – Kirkwood Meadows Public Utilities District and Lake Alpine Water Company, along with the Grover Hot Springs State Park.

Alpine County had a population of 1,175 in the last census (2010).

“In rural Alpine County on the Nevada border, more than half of its 1,200 residents don’t have safe water, the worst rate in the state,” stated the article. “more than half of the residents can’t drink the water flowing from their taps. The most common contaminants are nitrates from farming and naturally occurring arsenic”.

Johnson said these conclusions are drawn from a review of state compliance data dating prior to 2018 and refer only to the Lake Alpine Water Company.

The facts for the county's water from Johnson:

1. The data source states that the Lake Alpine Water Company serves a population of 625. This includes 125 residents, and 500 transients (skiers, visitors at the Bear Valley Lodge, and condos); thus, the incorrect statement “more than half of residents”. The data source states that Lake Alpine Water Company serves 487
service connections. This includes 294 single family residences, 179 multiple dwelling units (lodge, condos), 12 commercial, and 2 irrigation systems. So, essentially correct, but includes water provided to visitors, not just residents.

2. The data shows that the Lake Alpine Water Company was out of compliance with levels of total haloacetic acid exceeding the MCL, the latest violation on 12/31/17. However, what it does not show is that corrective action was promptly performed, with compliance obtained in January of 2018. Quarterly testing during the last 18 months has shown continued compliance, and an official Return to Compliance (RTC) status will be achieved in the near future. There have not been any other violations or enforcement actions taken.

3. The Water Board has never issued an order that “residents can’t drink water flowing from their taps” – anywhere in the county.

4. In the last 25 years of records and memories, water systems in Alpine County have not exceeded MCL’s for either nitrates or arsenic – anywhere in the county.

"Drink up (water), enjoy the 4th and your summer. Be glad you live here," said Johnson.

The greatest risk to the public’s health from drinking water is bacterial contamination, which is controlled by disinfection. The surface water used by the large water systems is disinfected with chlorine. Byproducts of the disinfection process include trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). Managers work to achieve the ideal balance between enough chlorine to provide water free of bacterial contamination, and at the same time keeping levels of byproducts lower than the maximum contaminant level (MCL) as required by the State Water Resources Control Board. The following links provide more detailed information:

https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/chlorination-byproducts.html

https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/factsheet/ddbp.html