City of Tucson

WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM?

Tucson Water provides service to approximately 725,000 residents throughout the Tucson metropolitan area. The water supply is drawn from roughly 200 groundwater wells strategically positioned across the region (as shown on available maps). Many of these wells are located in the Avra Valley area, designated as the Clearwater Recharge & Recovery Facilities.

At the Clearwater facilities, Tucson Water recharges Colorado River water into the aquifer, where it naturally blends with local groundwater. When this water is pumped back through the wells, customers receive a mixture containing higher percentages of Colorado River water.

The Tucson Water infrastructure includes 37 separate service areas throughout the metropolitan region, supported by 4,500 miles of pipeline and 145 booster stations dedicated to delivering quality municipal water.

WERE THERE ANY CONTAMINANTS DETECTED IN MY WATER?

Tucson Water continuously monitors your municipal water to meet EPA regulatory standards. Beyond required testing, the utility conducts extensive discretionary monitoring to provide additional water quality data for staff and customers. We're pleased to report that 2017 monitoring results met all safety requirements for municipal water.

In most cases, contaminant detection levels remain well below EPA regulatory limits. The table on pages 2 and 3 lists detected contaminants from required monitoring. Compare detected amounts with the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) column to see EPA's allowed maximum.

The vast majority of regulated substances were not detected in Tucson's municipal water and aren't included in the table. For a complete list of EPA regulated contaminants, contact the EPA at 1-800-426-4791 or visit www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls.

WHY ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN MY WATER?

All municipal water, including bottled water, reasonably contains small amounts of some contaminants. Tucson's groundwater naturally contains dissolved minerals and organic compounds leached from rocks, sediments, and plant materials through which the water travels.

You can expect to find beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium, harmless minerals like chloride, bicarbonate and sulfate, and metals such as iron, copper, arsenic, and lead. These substances can be either beneficial or harmless at low concentrations but potentially harmful at elevated levels.

Beyond naturally occurring substances, groundwater may contain contaminants from industrial or domestic activities. For this reason, water utilities must monitor approximately 90 regulated and 31 unregulated contaminants.

HOW DOES LEAD ENTER MUNICIPAL WATER?

In Massachusetts, most water sources from reservoirs and groundwater are naturally lead-free. When lead appears in water, it typically comes from water flowing through lead pipes or plumbing systems containing lead components or solder. Service lines connecting homes, schools, or buildings to water mains may contain lead.

Inside buildings, there might be lead pipes, pipes joined with lead solder, or brass fixtures containing lead. Lead concentrations peak when water sits in lead pipes for several hours. Additionally, using hot water can extract lead from pipes, solder, or fixtures, releasing it into the water supply.

HOW DOES LEAD ENTER THE BODY?

Lead occurs in generally low concentrations across various sources including food, municipal water, soil, dust, and air. People are exposed through consuming food, drinking water, accidentally ingesting soil and dust, and breathing air containing lead. Less common sources include certain handmade pottery, imported cookware, home remedies, toys, candy, jewelry, and some canned foods.

Lead-based paint and contaminated dust remain the primary exposure sources for children, though municipal water can significantly contribute to overall exposure. Since everyone encounters small amounts of lead in daily life, finding low levels in a person's body isn't unusual.

IS BATHING IN WATER WITH ELEVATED LEAD LEVELS SAFE?

Yes. Lead isn't readily absorbed through skin. There's no health concern when washing hands, taking showers, or bathing in water containing lead.

WHAT IF LEAD LEVELS IN SCHOOL OR CHILDCARE FACILITY WATER ARE HIGH?

If lead levels exceed the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb), the facility should identify the source. Once aware of an exceedance, schools must restrict access to affected fixtures and provide alternative water sources.

MassDEP offers technical assistance for testing and remediation. Options for reducing lead include replacing pipes and fixtures, reducing water corrosiveness, or implementing flushing programs. Schools and childcare facilities should keep parents, teachers, and staff informed about testing results and follow-up actions.

Children's exposure to lead in municipal water at schools represents only a portion of potential overall exposure, as they typically consume water at these facilities for limited periods. While it's unlikely that lead in school water would cause significantly elevated blood lead levels, it may contribute to total exposure. Risk varies by individual circumstances and consumption volume.