2004 Annual

Water Quality Report

Water Quality
Management Division

If you are a non-English speaking resident, we recommend
that you speak with someone who understands the report.
You may also obtain a copy in Spanish by calling 791-4331.




Spanish (Español) : Este informe contiene informacion muy
importante sobre la calidad de su agua beber. Traduscalo o
hable con alguien que lo entienda bien. Para obtener una
copia de este reporte en Español, llame al (520) 791-4331.

Do I Need to Take Special Precautions?
While the Safe Drinking Water Act regulations are intended to
protect consumers throughout their lifetime, some people may
be more vulnerable to infections from drinking water than the
general population. These “at-risk” populations include:
immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer
undergoing chemotherapy, people who have undergone organ
transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system
disorders, and in some cases, elderly people and infants. These
people should seek advice about drinking water from their
health care providers. USEPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate
means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and
other microbial contaminants are available from the USEPA’s
Safe Drinking Water hotline.

This Annual Water Quality Report provides
information on your drinking water. The
United States Environmental Agency
(USEPA) requires that all drinking water
suppliers provide a water quality report to
their customers on an annual basis. This
report also serves as a reference with
important information on the quality of
water and with contacts and phone
numbers you may need from time to time.

Where Does My Water Come From?

CRAYCROFT RD

D

SANDARIO RD

CLE RD
O RA

Tucson Water serves about 675,000 people in the Tucson area. The water supply comes from
approximately 200 groundwater wells located in and around the Tucson metropolitan area (see map). In
urban Tucson, most of the wells (also known as Points of Entry or POE) serve the neighborhood in which
they are located, with excess supply routed to reservoirs for use elsewhere in the system. Wells located
outside the urban core often deliver
INA RD
water to a single “collector” main prior
SKYLINE DR
to delivery to customers. In these cases,
SNYDER RD
R IV
the collector main is termed a
ER RO
A
“combined Point of Entry”
TANQUE
VERDE RD
to the drinking water system.
IRONWOOD HILLS
GRANT RD
SPEEDWAY
BROADWAY
22ND STREET

KI

NN

PIMA MINE RD

COUNTRY CLUB RD

IRVINGTON

HOUGHTON RD

VALENCIA RD

Y
WA
NOGALES HIGH

HIG

AY
HW

MISS
ION RD

AJO

RD

KOLB RD

EY

The Tucson Water system has four
combined Points of Entry:
• The Clearwater well field,
which delivers a blend of recharged
CAP water and groundwater
• The Southern Avra Valley well field
• The Santa Cruz well field
• The South Side well field,
which contains treated water
from the Tucson Airport Area
Remediation Project (TARP).

2



Were there any contaminants detected in my drinking water?
Tucson Water regularly samples the drinking water
that is delivered to you. Much of this testing is
required by drinking water regulations. In addition to
this required monitoring, we perform a great deal of
discretionary monitoring in order to provide both
Tucson Water staff and customers with additional
information. Tests performed in 2004 indicated that we
met all standards set by the USEPA.
Three inorganic contaminants of special interest are
arsenic, fluoride, and nitrate. Fluoride and arsenic are
naturally occurring and tend to increase as water is
drawn from greater depths. Nitrate, on the other hand,
is typically found in higher concentrations near the
surface of the groundwater table because it is
frequently associated with fertilizer use, septic tanks
and other human activities. For more information,

please see the Detected Contaminants Table and the
specific explanations, which follow the table.
In most cases, the minimum detectable level of a
contaminant is well below the USEPA regulatory limit
for that contaminant. The table on page 4 lists the
contaminants that were detected in either the required
or the discretionary drinking water monitoring. To
compare the detected amount with the amount
allowed by the USEPA, refer to the Maximum
Contaminant Level (MCL) column in the table. The
vast majority of regulated contaminants were not
detectable in drinking water delivered by Tucson
Water. Those non-detected results were not included
in the table. For a complete list of all USEPA regulated
contaminants contact the USEPA at 1-800-426-4791 or
visit the USEPA website at www.epa.gov/safewater/
mcl.html#mcls.

Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some
contaminants. Tucson’s groundwater contains dissolved minerals and organic compounds, which have been
leached from the rock, sediments, and plant materials through which the water travels. One would expect to find
beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium, harmless minerals such as chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate,
and metals such as iron, copper, arsenic, and lead, which may be either beneficial or harmless at low
concentrations, but harmful at high concentrations. In addition to these naturally occurring contaminants, our
groundwater may contain contaminants resulting from human, industrial or domestic activities. For this reason,
water utilities must currently monitor for approximately 90 regulated and 12 unregulated contaminants.
The following language is required by the USEPA to appear in this report, some of which may not be applicable to
deep groundwater wells, the source of the Tucson Water supply:
Contaminants that may be present in a source water can include:
• Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage, agricultural livestock,
and wildlife.
• Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban
stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
• Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater
runoff, and residential uses.
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of
industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff,
and septic systems.
• Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production
and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, USEPA regulations limit the amount of certain contaminants in
water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for
contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health. Bottled water may come
from either a surface water source or groundwater source, and may be treated minimally or extensively. For
information on the quality of your bottled water, contact the water bottling company.

3



Detected Contaminants Table
Contaminant
Maximum Result
Range
REGULATED CONTAMINANTS DETECTED
Haloacetic acids (HAA)
Dibromoacetic Acid
1.2 ppb
<1 - 1.2 ppb
Total Haloacetic Acids (5)
1.2 ppb
<1 - 1.2 ppb
Inorganic Contaminants
Arsenic
9.7 ppb
<2 - 9.7 ppb
Barium
0.099 ppm
<0.02 - 0.099 ppm
Chromium
0.023 ppm
<0.02 - 0.023 ppm
Fluoride
1.6 ppm
<0.1 - 1.6 ppm
Nitrate (as N)
7.6 ppm
<0.25 - 7.6 ppm
Radiochemical Contaminants
Adjusted Gross Alpha
1.6 pCi/L
0.1 - 1.6 pCi/L
Uranium
7.55 ppb
<1.33 – 7.55 ppb
Synthetic Organic Contaminants
Atrazine
0.11 ppb
<0.05 - 0.11 ppb
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
0.8 ppb
<0.6 - 0.8 ppb
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
0.11 ppb
<0.05 - 0.11 ppb
Trihalomethane Contaminants
Bromodichloromethane
Bromoform
Chlorodibromomethane
Chloroform
Total Trihalomethanes
Annual Running Average for TTHMS
Volatile Organic Contaminants
Ethylbenzene
Tetrachloroethene
Syn=tetrachloroethylene(PCE)
Total Xylenes
Trichloroethylene (TCE)

2.4 ppb
10.1 ppb
7 ppb
0.7 ppb
20.3 ppb
4.4 ppb

<0.5 – 2.4 ppb
<0.5 – 10.1 ppb
<0.5 - 7 ppb
<0.5 – 0.7 ppb
<0.5 – 20.3 ppb

1

MCLG
None
None

50 ppb
2 ppm
0.1 ppm
4 ppm
10 ppm

0 ppb
2 ppm
0.1 ppm
4 ppm
10 ppm

By-product of chlorination
By-product of chlorination
Natural deposits
Natural deposits; industrial uses
Natural deposits; used in industry & manufacturing
Natural deposits
Natural deposits; septic tanks; agriculture; sewage

15 pCi/L 0 pCi/L
30 ppb
0 ppb

Natural Deposits
Natural Deposits

3 ppb
6 ppb
50 ppb

Herbicide
Plasticizer for PVC and other polymers
Chemical manufacturing; industrial wastewater
and emissions

3 ppb
0 ppb
50 ppb

80 ppb 0 ppb
80 ppb
0 ppb
80 ppb 0.06 ppb
80 ppb
None
80 ppb
None

By-product of chlorination
By-product of chlorination
By-product of chlorination
By-product of chlorination
By-product of chlorination

0.7 ppm 0.7 ppm

Solvent used in coating removal;
manufacture of plastics
Man-made substance widely used for
dry cleaning fabrics & textiles;
for metal-degreasing operations
Solvent used in paint coatings, adhesives, and fuel
Solvent used in degreasing metal parts

<0.0005 - 0.0006 ppm

0.7 ppb

<0.5 - 0.7 ppb

5 ppb

0 ppb

<0.0015 - 0.0036 ppm
<0.5 - 1.8 ppb

10 ppm
5 ppb

10 ppm
0 ppb

0.0036 ppm
1.8 ppb

Major Sources of Contaminant

60 ppb
60 ppb

0.0006 ppm

Lead and Copper
No. of Samples Above
Contaminants
the Action Level
Lead and Copper in Standing Water Samples - 2002
Lead
none
Copper
none
Microbiological
Contaminants
Total Coliform
Total Coliform
Total Coliform
Total Coliform
Total Coliform

MCL

90th Percentile
Value

Action Level

2.5 ppb
0.23 ppm

15 ppb
1.3 ppm

Months with
# of Positive Samples Total # of Samples
MCL1
Coliform Detections
for the Month
Collected for the Month
May
1
249
≤ 5%
June
1
249
≤ 5%
August
2
252
≤ 5%
October
2
252
≤ 5%
December
1
249
≤ 5%

MCLG
0
1.3 ppm
MCLG
0
0
0
0
0

Major Sources
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Major Sources
Naturally present in environment
Naturally present in environment
Naturally present in environment
Naturally present in environment
Naturally present in environment

The MCL for microbiological contaminants is 5% of the total number of samples collected in the month.

UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS DETECTED
Dacthal, DCPA
0.7 ppb
1,4-Dioxane
1.5 ppb

0.19 – 0.7 ppb
<1 - 1.5 ppb

No MCL
No MCL

None
None

Pre-emergent herbicide
Solvent used in greases, paints, laquers & dyes

Drinking Water Terms and Definitions:
Action level. The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers a treatment or other requirement which a water
system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as
close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology. If a contaminant is believed to cause health
concerns in humans, then the MCL is set as close as practical to zero and at an acceptable level of risk. Generally, the
maximum acceptable risk of cancer is 1 in 10,000 with 70 years of exposure.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG). The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or
expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Parts Per Billion (ppb). Some constituents in water are measured in very small units. One ppb equals one microgram per liter.
For example, one part per billion equals: 2 drops of water in a 15,000 gallon backyard swimming pool, one second of time in
31.7 years, or the first 16 inches of a trip to the moon.
Parts Per Million (ppm). One ppm equals one milligram per liter or 1000 times more than a ppb. One part per million equals:
1/4 cup of water in a typical 15,000 gallon backyard swimming pool or one second of time in 11.6 days.
Picocurie Per Liter (pCi/l). The quantity of radioactive material in one liter which produces 2.22 nuclear disintegrations per
minute.
Point of Entry (POE). All water sources are monitored at the point of entry to the distribution system before the first customer
but after any required treatment.

4



Detailed Information on Detected Contaminants
Haloacetic Acids (HAA) are a group of chemicals that are
formed along with other disinfection byproducts when
chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial
contaminants in drinking water react with naturally
occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. The
regulated haloacetic acids, known as HAA5, are:
monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic
acid, monobromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetic acid.
EPA has published the Stage 1 Disinfectants/Disinfection
Byproducts Rule to regulate HAA5 at 60 parts per billion
annual running average. In 2004 HAAs were detected at
1.2 ppb concentration (the MCL is 60 ppb).
Arsenic EPA recently finalized a reduction in the arsenic
drinking water standard from 50 ppb down to 10 ppb. All
water utilities must meet this reduced standard beginning
January 2006. While your drinking water meets USEPA’s
reduced standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of
arsenic. USEPA’s new standard balances the current
understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against
the cost of removing arsenic from drinking water. USEPA
continues to research the health effect of low levels of
arsenic which is a mineral known to cause cancer in
humans at high concentrations and is linked to other
health effects such as skin damage and circulatory
problems. Some people who drink water containing
arsenic in excess of the MCL over many years could
experience skin damage or problems with their
circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of
getting cancer. The highest arsenic concentration during
2004 was 9.7 ppb in one well with limited use.
Barium occurs naturally at very low concentrations in our
groundwater. The highest barium value in 2004 was 0.099
ppm (the MCL is 2 ppm).
Chromium is a trace metal and an essential nutrient;
however, it can be toxic at high concentrations greater
than the MCL especially in the hexavalent form, which is
more common when the source is industrial waste. The
highest chromium value in 2004 was 0.023 ppm detected
in one well (the MCL is 0.1 ppm).

Adjusted Gross Alpha is a measure of radioactivity
due to naturally occurring minerals in groundwater.
This excludes the radioactivity contributed by either
radon or uranium. A comprehensive sampling of our
wells for gross alpha was conducted in 2003. The
highest level for gross alpha during 2004 was 1.6
picocuries per liter or pCi/L (the MCL for gross alpha
radioactivity is 15 pCi/L).
Radium 226 and 228 are two of the most common
radium isotopes. Radium is a naturally occurring
radionuclide, formed by the decay of uranium or
thorium in the environment. It occurs at low
concentrations in virtually all rock, soil, water, plants,
and animals. During 2003, an extensive sampling of
these two isotopes was performed at our wells. The
highest concentration found for radium 226 was 0.6
pCi/l and for radium 228 was 0.5 pCi/l (the MCL is 5
pCi/l for both isotopes combined).
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that
may cause cancer, and may be found in drinking
water and indoor air. While ingesting radon in
drinking water has a small risk, inhaling radon is a
primary health concern, particularly for smokers or
ex-smokers. Radon diffusing up from the soil into
homes and buildings is usually the main source of
radon in indoor air. Only about 1-2 percent of radon
in indoor air comes from drinking water. If you are
concerned about radon in your home, you should test
your house and install controls if you find a level of 4
pCi/L or higher in your indoor air. For more
information, call USEPA’s Radon Hotline (800-SOSRADON) or visit the web site http://www.epa.gov/
iaq/radon/. The USEPA does not currently have a
final regulation for radon in drinking water. A
comprehensive radon monitoring was performed on
all Tucson Water wells in two quarters during 2000.
The average and maximum results were 720 pCi/L
and 1420 pCi/L respectively. Test results indicate
that, when compared with other communities across
the country, Tucson has fairly typical concentrations
for radon in the water supply.

Fluoride is an important naturally occurring mineral that
helps to form healthy teeth and bones. A concentration of
1 ppm is considered optimum. At concentrations above 2
ppm, fluoride can cause mild discoloration of teeth, and
exposure at above the MCL of 4 ppm can cause both
severe discoloration of teeth and over many years of
exposure, bone disease. The highest level for fluoride
during 2004 was 1.6 ppm (the MCL is 4 ppm).
Nitrate is a form of nitrogen and an important plant
nutrient. Tucson Water performs more frequent
monitoring of wells high in nitrate for extra assurance
that action can be taken when approaching the MCL.
Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a
health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High
nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby
syndrome. The highest level for nitrate during 2003 was
7.6 ppm (the MCL is 10 ppm).

5



Detailed Information on Detected Contaminants (Continued)
Uranium is a metallic element, which is highly toxic
and radioactive. The USEPA has set a new standard of
30 ppb for uranium, which water systems were to meet
by December 2003. A comprehensive sampling of our
wells for uranium was conducted in 2003. The highest
level for uranium during 2004 was 7.55 ppb (the MCL is
30 ppb).
Synthetic Organic Compounds (SOCs) - Unlike VOC’s,
which have been repeatedly shown to readily migrate
through soils to groundwater, SOC’s are generally less
mobile. Atrazine, a herbicide and possible cacinogen at
high doses was detected at concentration of 0.11 ppb
during 2004 (the MCL is 3 ppb). Another SOC,
hexachlorocyclopentadiene, a plasticizer for
polyvinylchloride (PVC) and other polymers was also
found at concentration of 0.11 ppb during 2004 (the
MCL is 50 ppb). Finally, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or
DEHP, is the most commonly used of a group of related
chemicals called phthalates or phthalic acid esters. The
greatest use of DEHP is as a plasticizer for
polyvinylchloride (PVC) and other polymers including
rubber, cellulose and styrene. Because of its very broad
use in plastic and rubber products, DEHP is frequently
a laboratory contaminant. It was detected at
concentration of 0.8 ppb during 2004 (the MCL is
6 ppb).
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) are formed when
chlorine combines with naturally occurring organic
material in water. Since the level of organic matter in
our groundwater is extremely low, these compounds
are found at very low concentrations. The compounds,
which make up the TTHMs include chloroform,
bromodichloromethane, bromoform, and
chlorodibromomethane. The highest result for Total
THM during 2004 was 20.3 ppb and the highest
concentration for any of the four compounds was 10.1
ppb for bromoform. Compliance with the TTHM
standard is based on the running quarterly average
concentration at 16 distribution monitoring points. The
annual running average for the 4 quarters of 2004 was
4.4 ppb (the MCL is 80 ppb).
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include such
compounds as trichloroethylene (TCE) and
tetrachloroethylene (PCE). VOCs are volatile, like
alcohol or gasoline, and are made up of relatively small
molecules, which allows them to migrate readily
through soils. Solvents such as TCE and PCE have been
commonly used for cleaning machine parts, and for dry
cleaning. These contaminants are often associated with
industrial operations and landfills.
PCE is a solvent used by industry and dry cleaners. It
was detected at concentration of 0.7 ppb during 2004
(the MCL is 5 ppb). TCE was detected at concentration
of 1.8 ppb during 2004 (the MCL is 5 ppb). Despite the
vulnerability of groundwater to such contamination,
Tucson Water’s potable supplies are virtually free of
such contamination.

Ethylbenzene, Toluene, and Xylenes are residual
solvents, typically associated with the coatings used to
protect new or refurbished water pressure tanks. These
low concentration releases from pressure tank coatings
rapidly decrease as the tank ages. In 2004 ethylbenzene
was detected at a concentration of 0.0006 ppm (the MCL
is 0.7 ppm). The highest concentration of xylenes
detected in 2004 was 0.0036 ppm (the MCL is 10 ppm).
Lead and Copper are naturally occurring metals, which
are generally found at very low levels in source waters.
However, these levels can increase when water contacts
plumbing materials that contain lead or copper or
brass. Infants and young children are more vulnerable
to lead in drinking water than the general population.
While Tucson Water is well within the standards,
concerned customers can take an extra precaution to
protect children from lead leached from new brass
faucets by running the water for a few seconds and
using the water for something other than drinking.
This is especially important if the water has been sitting
in the pipes for a few hours or more. These same
precautions also help to give you the best tasting water.
The last required lead and copper monitoring was
performed in 2002. The results were well below the
action levels.
Coliform bacteria are commonly found in the
environment and in the digestive tract of animals.
While rarely harmful, Coliform bacteria in drinking
water are indicators that the water may also contain
harmful microorganisms. In 2004, there were seven
positive total coliform samples for the entire year. (The
MCL is 5% per month or not more than 12 positives in
the 246 samples collected each month.)
Dacthal (DCPA) also known as chlorthal dimethyl is a
phthalate preemergent herbicide used on annual
grasses and certain annual broadleaf weed species in a
wide range of vegetable crops. About one-half of the
use of this compound in the United States is for homes
and gardens. While there is no toxicological concern for
DCPA per se, the technical product may contain very
small amounts of dioxin and HCB as impurities which
are of toxicological concern. There are also many gaps
in the available information on the herbicide and EPA
has stated that no new uses will be approved until some
of the gaps are filled in. DCPA is classified as a general
use pesticide.
1,4-Dioxane was first detected in 2000, using recent
improvements in analytical methods, which greatly
reduced the detection level. The laboratory’s minimum
reporting limit for this chemical is 1 ppb. The highest
concentration in 2004 was 1.5 ppb. 1,4 dioxane is used
primarily as a stabilizer in chlorinated solvents,
particularly 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA). At this time,
there is no limit set by EPA for this compound. However,
the EPA Office of Drinking Water has a Health Advisory
Level of 3 ppb.
6




Monitoring Waivers

How is Our Drinking Water Treated?

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, the
regulatory agency for all public water suppliers in
Arizona, grants waivers for certain monitoring
requirements. Waivers are granted for specific
contaminants if previous monitoring results, and/or
the land uses within a half-mile radius of the well,
allows ADEQ to conclude that the risk of
contamination by a specific substance is very low.

The groundwater delivered by Tucson Water meets all
drinking water standards without treatment, with the
exception of the water supplied from the Tucson
Airport Area Remediation Project (TARP). However,
approximately 0.8 ppm of chlorine is added to the
drinking water supply at well sites, reservoirs and other
facilities to provide assurance that water delivered to
customers will remain free of microbiological
contamination. This also ensures that the water meets
microbiological drinking water standards from the time
it is pumped from the ground until it reaches the
customer’s tap.

Any Monitoring Failures
or Violations?
At the end of each quarter, Tucson Water conducts an
internal audit of compliance monitoring records to
verify that all required monitoring has been completed
and reported to the State. There have been no
monitoring failures or violations during 2004.

What About CAP Water?
City of Tucson has rights to approximately 136,000
acre-feet of Colorado River water per year, delivered
through the Central Arizona Project (CAP). In 2004, the
City of Tucson’s Colorado River allocation was not
used directly, but a portion of this allocation was
recharged. The % of CAP allocation utilized by Tucson
Water at the end of 2004 was approximately 42%. At the
Clearwater Renewable Resource Facility located in
Avra Valley, Tucson Water is recharging a portion of the
City’s available CAP supply by delivering the river
water to shallow basins and allowing the water to
percolate (or recharge) naturally through the earth to
reach and blend with the groundwater below. Tucson
Water began delivery of this blend of recharged
Colorado River water and groundwater May 3, 2001.
At the end of 2004, the blend was about 75% native
groundwater and 25% recharged Colorado River water.
Over time, it will contain an increasing percentage of
recharged Colorado River water. Information on the
quality of this blend is contained in the detected
contaminant table, and more information is available
on Tucson Water’s web site.

More About TARP
The Tucson Airport Area Remediation Project (TARP)
was developed in order to clean and make beneficial
use of water contaminated with the industrial solvent
trichloroethylene (TCE). Tucson Water operates TARP
under an agreement with the USEPA and other
industrial and governmental agencies, which pay for
operation of the TARP program.
Nine wells extract the contaminated water and deliver
it through a pipeline to a treatment plant that removes
the TCE from the water. The TARP treatment plant uses
an “air stripping” process which forces volatile
contaminants such as TCE to evaporate from the water
into air. The air is then passed through activated
carbon filters, which removes the airborne TCE. The
TARP plant treats approximately 5.73 million gallons of
water per day. During 2004, this plant treated a total of
approximately 2.09 billion gallons of water.

Source Water Assessment Program
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
has completed a source water assessment for Tucson
Water drinking water wells. This assessment reviewed
the adjacent land uses that may pose a potential risk to
the water sources. These risks include , but are not
limited to gas stations, landfills, dry cleaning, agricultural fields, waste water treatment plants, and mining
activities. The assessment found approximately 1/3 of
our wells as high risks. Tucson Water insures the safety
of your drinking water by conducting regular monitoring of all sources. If any contamination approaches the
drinking water MCL, the source is removed from
service. Residents can help protect our water sources by
practicing good septic system maintenance, limiting
pesticide and fertilizer use, or by taking hazardous
household chemicals to Household Hazardous Waste
(visit www.deq.co.pima.az.us/waste/househol.htm, or
call 791-4502.) The complete report is available at
ADEQ, 1110 W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ or by requesting an electronic copy from Donna Lucchese at: dml@
azdeq.gov. You may also call the contacts at the end of
this report.

7



How Can I Have Better Tasting Water?
It may be stating the obvious, but water drawn from the tap may have chlorinous odors. It may have also been in
contact with pipes for hours or even longer. It may contain dissolved air, and it may be warmer than you may
like. You can improve the taste of your drinking water by simply drawing it after other water uses, which brings
fresh water to the tap, then allowing it to stand several hours or longer in a clean odor-free pitcher or bottle. You
can store your water either on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator, depending on which temperature you
prefer. If you store the water in the refrigerator, you may want to be sure it is capped to help prevent picking up
refrigerator odors.

Whom Do I Contact For More Information?
For more information on this Tucson Water report, contact Tom Jefferson or Mohsen Belyani with the Water
Quality Management Division. Call 791-5252 or e-mail your questions to tom.jefferson@tucsonaz.gov, or
mohsen.belyani@tucsonaz.gov.
The Water Quality Management Division also publishes the following reports:
• Annual Microbiological Report detailing the results of monthly distribution system monitoring.
• Annual Turbidity Report, evaluating the clarity of the water throughout the year.
• Annual Major Water Quality Parameters Report, which provides detailed information on a number
of water constituents monitored throughout the year. These reports are available on the Tucson Water
web page, www.tucsonaz.gov/water.
In 2004, Tucson Water also collected a large amount of additional monthly water quality data. The results of these
additional monitoring are also available on the Tucson Water web page, www.tucsonaz.gov/water.
Since 2001 Tucson Water and ten community partners have been collaborating with the USEPA in the
Environmental Monitoring for public Access and Community Tracking program (EMPACT) which is designed to
provide the community more information about your water. For more information please call 791-2666 or visit our
web site www.tucsonaz.gov/water.

Telephone Numbers:
Tucson Water Public Information Office
791-4331
Tucson Water Quality Management Division
791-5252
Tucson Water Customer Liaison
791-5945
Tucson Water Customer Service/Billing
791-3242
Tucson Water 24 hour Emergency
791-4133
United States Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791
USEPA Website:
www.epa.gov/safewater/
Si usted desea este documento escrito en español, por favor, llame al 791-4331.
City of Tucson
TTY#: 791-2639
The Report Cost: The approximate cost for each of these individual reports was 15 cents

City of Tucson
Tucson Water
P.O.Box 27210
Tucson, AZ 85726-7210

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