The Water State Project begins at Oroville Dam on the Feather River and ends at Lake Perris near Riverside. It includes 22 dams and reservoirs, a Delta pumping plant and a 444-mile-long aqueduct that carries water from the Delta to southern California, through the San Joaquin Valley. This is the major source of water supply for most of southern California. The project is operated by the California Department of Water Resources and is then imported as surface water by The Henry J. Mills Filtration Plant.
The Colorado River passes through seven states, many Indian reservations and Mexico. Most of this waster goes toward irrigating crops in the southeastern corner of the California, but the Colorado also is an important source of water for urban southern California. This river is 1,440 miles long and its water supply is distributed by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California through its Colorado River Aqueduct. They are a wholesale agency and serve 18 million customers.
Groundwater does not come from underground lakes like many people think. It comes from underground water that fills in spaces between sand, gravel, silt and clay in water-bearing formations known as aquifers. Groundwater makes up for 30 percent of California’s annual water supply and up to 60 percent in drought years. The groundwater used for my area specifically comes from the Sunnymead Well which is blended with the Mills Well.
Our water company is Eastern Municipal Water District Water Co. and they rank in the 23rd percentile of the National Average. On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being drinkable and 10 being outstanding, the water in my area ranked at 2.3.
… Of the chemicals tested for, 21 were found. This chart lists those chemicals and potential health effects. The ones in red are above health guidelines.
Biochemical or Cellular Level Changes, Cancer, Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity, Ecotoxicology, Endocrine Disruption, Irritation, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Bromodichloromethane
Cancer
Bromoform
Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Dibromochloromethane
Cancer
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Cancer
Dichloroacetic acid
Cancer, Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity, Ecotoxicology, Irritation, Miscellaneous, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Total haloacetic acids (HAAs)
Cancer
Chloroform
Biochemical or Cellular Level Changes, Cancer, Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity, Ecotoxicology, Endocrine Disruption, Irritation, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Alpha particle activity
No Known Health Effects
Arsenic (total)
Allergies/Immunotoxicity, Biochemical or Cellular Level Changes, Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Endocrine Disruption, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Perchlorate
Impairs thyroid gland function
Radium-228
Organ System Toxicity
Nitrate
Organ System Toxicity
Trichloroacetic acid
Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Irritation, Miscellaneous, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Dibromoacetic acid
Cancer
Monobromoacetic acid
Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Miscellaneous, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity
Monochloroacetic acid
Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Irritation, Miscellaneous, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Nitrate & nitrite
Organ System Toxicity
Barium (total)
Biochemical or Cellular Level Changes, Cancer, Developmental/Reproductive Toxicity, Ecotoxicology, Neurotoxicity, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Combined Uranium (pCi/L)
Cancer, Ecotoxicology, Occupational Hazards, Organ System Toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation
Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L)
No Known Health Effects
For bottled water, the federal agency in charge of regulations is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GOA), the FDA’s and EPA’s standard of quality regulations for water are almost the same except for one major difference. This difference is DEHP; it is an organic compound used in the manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride plastics. DEHP is known as an endocrine disruptor, in other words, it is known to interfere with the hormone system in animals and humans. The FDA does not have the authority to require bottlers to use certified laboratories for water quality tests or to report test results, even if violations of the standards are found. Labeling of bottled water under federal and state requirements are similar to those for food but still, the information provided to consumers is less than what the EPA requires of public water systems. Not only does bottled water affect us the consumers but it also affects the environment. GAO found that 3/4 of water bottles produced in the U.S. in 2006 were not recycled and just thrown away to landfills. Also, the U.S. energy demand for bottled water is much more energy intensive than the production of public drinking water.
After so much research, I think I’ll just stick to tap water. Not only does it pass stricter requirements but also avoids nasty chemicals from plastic. Tap water always has reports available for look up whereas bottled water doesn’t. Another main reason to avoid bottled water is to minimize the amount of pollution and wasted energy. Yes, bottled water is at times more convenient but in the end it’s not worth the repercussions.
Works Cited
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