Annual Water Quality Report

Flowing Wells Irrigation District
Annual Water Quality Report
for Calendar Year 2023

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 PWSID# AZ04-10051

FWID is responsible for water quality throughout its system, ensuring that the water delivered is clean, safe and meets all local, state and federal drinking water health standards.

The Safe Drinking Water Act requires public water systems to comply with EPA and ADEQ drinking water regulations and, at established monitoring frequencies, District staff collects water samples from wells, storage tanks, sample stands and at entry points to the distribution system. Those samples are then taken to a state-licensed laboratory for analysis and test results are reported to the District and the Water Quality Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

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Drinking Water Sources

The sources of drinking water (both tap and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals, and in some cases, radioactive material, and can pickup substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Drinking Water Contaminants

Vulnerable Population

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.

Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV-AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, or to receive a copy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and microbiological contaminants call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.

Source Water Assessment

This PWS did not receive a SWAP because the PWS was inactive at the time, the PWS did not exist, or the State failed to perform the assessment. Further source water assessment documentation can be obtained by contacting ADEQ.

Definitions

Lead Informational Statement:

Lead, in drinking water, is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.

Flowing Wells Irrigation District is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

Water Quality Data – Regulated Contaminants

As authorized and approved by EPA, the state has reduced monitoring requirements for certain contaminants to less often than
once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants are not expected to vary significantly from year to year. Some of
our data, though representative, is more than one year old.

Water Quality Table – Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (2023-2025) 

Your drinking water was sampled for the presence and concentration of 29 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, some known by the acronyms PFAS, PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX, a group of contaminants in the final stages of becoming regulated by the EPA. PFAS are man-made chemicals that are resistant to heat, water, and oil. They have been used since the 1940s to manufacture various consumer products, including fire-fighting foam and stain resistant, water-resistant, and nonstick items. Many PFAS do not break down easily and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain PFAS can be harmful to people and animals, depending on the level and duration of exposure.

To learn more about this group of chemicals, we encourage you to read the ADEQ-provided “PFAS 101 Fact Sheet” and to visit the ADEQ website at https://www.azdeq.gov/pfas-resources

* EPA is proposing a Hazard Index MCL to limit any mixture containing one or more of PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and/or GenX Chemicals. The Hazard Index considers the different toxicities of PFNA, GenX Chemicals, PFHxS, and PFBS. For these PFAS, water systems would use a hazard index calculation to determine if the combined levels of these PFAS in the drinking water at that system pose a potential risk and require action (Source: EPA Fact Sheet: Understanding the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Proposal Hazard Index).

Violation Summary (for MCL, MRDL, AL, TT, or Monitoring & Reporting Requirement)

¹ Arsenic is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentration and is linked to other health effects, such as skin damage and circulatory problems. If arsenic is less than or equal to the MCL, your drinking water meets EPA’s standards. EPA’s standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water, and continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic.
² 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.” Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, and detected nitrate levels are above 5 ppm, you should ask advice from your health care provider.

If you would like a copy of this report mailed to you, please call, stop by, or email the office and we will be happy to get one to you or
click here for a downloadable copy (PDF format).

Please share this information with other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.