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Watch for these during water outages or periods of low water pressure:

1. If you are experiencing water outages or low water pressure, immediately discontinue any non-essential water use. This includes all outdoor irrigation and car washing. Minimizing use will reduce the potential for the water system to lose pressure or run out of water. Please notify your water system if you experience an outage or low pressure.
2. If the water looks cloudy or dirty, you should not drink it. Upon return of normal water service, you should flush the hot and cold water lines until the water appears clear and the water quality returns to normal.
3. If you are concerned about the water quality or are uncertain of its safety, you may add eight drops of household bleach to one gallon of water and let it sit for 30 minutes or alternatively, if you are able, water can be boiled for one minute at a rolling boil to ensure it is safe for consumption.
4. Use of home treatment devices does not guarantee the water supply is safe after low pressure situations.
5. Do not be alarmed if you experience higher than normal chlorine concentrations in your water supply since the California Department of Public Health is advising public water utilities to increase chlorine residuals in areas subject to low pressure or outages.
6. The California Department of Public Health has also advised public water systems to increase the bacteriological water quality monitoring of the distribution system in areas subject to low pressure. This may include collecting samples in your area to confirm that the water remains safe for consumption. You will be promptly advised if the sampling reveals a water quality problem.
7. PID is committed to ensuring that an adequate quantity of clean, wholesome, and potable water is delivered to you. We recommend that you discuss the information in this notice with members of your family to assure that all family members are prepared should water outages or low water pressure occur.

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How is your water treated?

Raw water from Magalia Reservoir or Little Butte Creek through the Magalia Bypass is treated before being distributed to Paradise residents.  The treatment process consists of coagulation, clarification, filtration and disinfection.  The coagulation process consists of adding alum and polymer to the water to chemically bond very small particles in the water into larger particles.  Coagulated water is passed through a bed of course granulated media in the absorption clarifiers.  Coarse media in the clarifier removes most of the coagulated particles.

Clarified water flows downward through tri-media filters consisting of anthracite, sand, and fine garnet to remove the remaining particulates and "polish" the finished water.  A minimum amount of chlorine is added to the finished water to meet California state requirements.  Chlorine can be added either to the raw water prior to filtration or to the filtered water.  Filtered water is routed through a treated water storage tank to provide sufficient time for the chlorine to kill any bacteria remaining tin the water.  This water is then routed to off-site reservoirs for distribution to Paradise residents.

 

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Disinfection—Chlorine is added (1.5 to 1.7 ppm) to kill or inactivate disease-causing organisms which may be present in the water (disinfection), control the growth of algae and assist with coagulation.

Coagulation—Coagulation consists of adding aluminum sulfate, aluminum chlorhydrate and two polymers to the raw water to chemically bond very small particles (turbidity) into larger particles (floc). Most of these larger floc particles are removed from the raw water as they pass through a bed of coarse, granulated media in the up-flow clarifiers.

Filtration—The clarified water then flows downward through tri-media filters (consisting of an-thracite, sand and fine garnet) to remove additional (turbidity and floc) particles which may still be in the water.

Tank time—After the two filtration processes the water is well below the State requirements for turbidity (0.2 NTU). The water is routed through a treated water storage tank which provides sufficient chlorine contact time to thoroughly disinfect the water. A minimum amount of chlorine remains (1.0 ppm) in the treated water to ensure the California health requirements are met in the distribution system so the potable water is delivered properly to the consumer at all times.

Corrosion protection—Finally, as the treated water leaves the plant, zinc orthophosphate (a corro-sion inhibitor) is added. This is added to minimize corrosion of the District’s steel pipelines, and minimize lead and copper leaching from customers’ pipes and faucets.

 

 

Fluoride is not added to our treated water, nor is it detectable in the raw water.

 

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CCR Report Definitions

RAL (Regulatory Action Level): Concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that a water system must follow.

μS/cm (microsiemens per centimeter): A unit expressing the amount of electrical conductivity of a solution.

MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary (health-related) MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Secondary MCLs (SMCLs) are set to protect the odor, taste and appearance of drinking water.

MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the USEPA.

MFL (million fibers per liter): A measure of the presence of asbestos fibers that are longer than 10 micrometers.

MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

NA: Not applicable.

ND (Not detected): The substance was not found by laboratory analysis.

NS: No standard.

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): Measurement of the clarity/cloudiness—or turbidity—of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.

PDWS (Primary Drinking Water Standard): MCLs and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health, along with their monitoring and reporting requirements and water treatment requirements.

PHG (Public Health Goal): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California EPA.

TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

ppm (parts per million): One part substance per million parts water (or milligrams per liter). Imagine one ping-pong ball in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

ppb (parts per billion): One part substance per billion parts water (or micrograms per liter). Imagine one ping pong ball in 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

pCi/L (picocurries per liter): A measurement of radioactivity.

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