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We
have received several inquiries from our customers about
contamination of drinking water supplies as a result
of nuclear fallout from the Fukushima reactor failure
on March 11, 2011.
As reported in the news, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and other
government agencies have advised that there is currently
no significant risk in California from exposure through
either air or water due to the failure of the Fukushima
reactor.
The concentrations of radionuclides (radioactive contaminants)
currently present in our air and water are extremely
low relative to the normal/natural background radiation
that we all receive annually.
For this reason, the California Department of Public
Health, the agency responsible for regulating drinking
water, is not advising water suppliers to conduct special
water testing. However, Helix Water District staff collected
samples of the water entering and leaving the Helix
treatment plant in Lakeside, CA on March 28, 2011. Analyses
performed were: gross alpha, uranium, radium 226, radium
228, gross beta, strontium 90, tritium, radon 222, iodine
125, iodine 131, and cesium 137. All results were NOT
DETECTED with the exception of the following, which
are normal background levels and what is typically detected
in waters in this region.
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Sample
Location
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Gross
Alpha
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Uranium
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Radium
228
|
|
Levy
Influent
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4.2
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2.4
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2
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Levy
Effluent
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4.5
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2.4
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1.6
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MCL
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15
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20
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5
|
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DLR
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1
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2
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0.5
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Results
are reported in picocuries per liter. MCL is the regulated
Maximum Contaminant Level and DLR is the Detection Level
for Reporting purposes. These levels are regulated by
California Department of Public Health.
The
following are links to websites that have further details
about radiation and the recent incident in Japan.
California
Department of Public Health:
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/pages/radiationfaqs2011.aspx
EPA (Japan Incident):
http://www.epa.gov/japan2011/
EPA (Radiation general information):
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/understand/perspective.html
If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you
to direct your questions to our water quality staff.
They can be reached at the following:
Email:
waterquality@helix.org
Phone: (619) 443-1031. Ask for the senior chemist.
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