Uranium-CDPH-24Sep08_(2).pdf

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

September 24, 2008 Certified Mail/Return Receipt Requested 700608100001 84172366

Sierra Army Depot

AMSTA-SI-GM-CO

Herlong, CA 96113

Attention: George E. Ray, Deputy Garrison Commander

Subject: Public Water System No. 1810700 - Citation for Exceedence of Uranium Maximum Contaminant Level at Well 8

Enclosed is Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004 (Citation) which specifies what actions are to be taken by the Sierra Army Depot (Depot) to help ensure compliance with the state's Primary Standards for uranium in domestic water. You should carefully review the Citation and take appropriate action.

Note that Section 116577 of the California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for our Department to be reimbursed by the public water system for costs incurred for preparing and issuing enforcement action to that system. In accordance with Section 116577, the Depot will be billed for the preparation and issuance of this Citation. Our costs are approximately $111 per hour. Our estimated time to prepare this Citation is two hours.

However, the maximum reimbursement that can be collected in a year from a public water system serving less than 1000 service connections is $1000 or twice the annual fee, whichever is greater.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please call Sandi Tenney at

(530) 224-4876 or me at (530) 224-4800.

Michael J. McNamara, P.E.

Lassen District Engineer

DRINKING WATER FIELD OPERATIONS BRANCH

Enclosures cc: Carl Lischeske, Chief - DDWEM - Northern California Field Operations Branch Kim Wilhelm, Chief - DDWEM - Northern California Section Doug Ames, Director, Lassen County Environmental Health Department srt lassen \ Sierra Army Depot \ 2008-09 Cover for U MCl Citation #1810700 File: Main

Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management

415 Knollcrest Drive, Suite 110, Redding, CA 96002

(530) 224-4800 (530) 224-4844 Fax

Internet Address: www.cdph.ca.gov

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA

STD. 113 (REV. 3-95)

OSP 05 90192 ~.?'I

CITATION NO. 01-02-08(C) 004

State of California

Department of Public Health

Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management

RE: Sierra Army Depot

AMSTA-SI-GM-CO

Herlong, CA 96113

TO: George E. Ray, Deputy Garrison Commander

CITATION FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE URANIUIVI MAXIMUM

CONTAMINANT LEVEL - WATER SYSTEM NO. 1810700

Section 116650, Article 9, Chapter 4, Part 12, Division 104 of the California Health and Safety Code (CHSC), authorizes the issuance of a citation for failure to comply with a requirement of the California Safe Drinking Water Act, or any regulation, standard, permit, or order issued hereunder.

VIOLATIONS

The California Department of Public Health, Division of Drinking Water and

Environmental Management (hereinafter Department), hereby issues a Citation to the Sierra Army Depot (hereinafter Depot), (mailing address, AMSTA-SI-GM-CO

Herlong, CA 96113) for the following violations:

1. CHSC, Section 116555 (a)(1 ): The Depot has failed to provide water that complies with primary drinking water standards.

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA

STD. 113 (REV. 3-95)

OSP 05 90192 l~l

Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004

2. CHSC, Section 116555 (a)(3): The Depot has failed to ensure that the system is provided with a reliable and adequate supply of pure, wholesome, healthful and potable water.

3. Title 22, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 64442: The Depot does not at all times deliver water to all customers that complies with the uranium maximum contaminant level (MCl) of 20 picocuries per liter (pCi/l).

In accordance with Section 116650(e) of the CHSC, the violation is classified as a continuing violation.

HISTORY

The Sierra Army Depot operates a community water system that supplies domestic water to approximately 282 service connections within its service area located in

Herlong, lassen County. Three active wells, known as Well 5, Well 8, and Well 9, supply the Depot's domestic water supply system. The Depot operates under a domestic water supply permit issued on March 22, 2004.

The Depot completed quarterly sampling of Well 8 for radiological constituents on the following dates: September 27,2007; November 29,2007; March 28, 2008; and

June 12, 2008. These samples were analyzed for Gross Alpha and Uranium with the following results:

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STD 113 (REV. 3-95)

OSP 05 90192 !~I

Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004

I Chemical I Gross AIPhaj Uranium l Uranium ~

~ ~ I -(~n~t:) =1----=-, (P~~L) (ugIL) ---j (P~~L)

1- . 3~ t

Date Results

Septernber 27, 2007 I 25 -i---3-5------,-I-----2-4--------j

I f-- November 29, 2007 1- 23.9 --r 35 =t 24

March 28, 2008 22.3 --r- 34 23

I-- June 12, 2008 14.7 -~~I--40- jr-- 2_7 _

4-quarter average 21 36 24 I

The uranium concentration of the composite quarterly samples results is 24 pCi/l.

Therefore, the Depot's Well 8 produces water that exceeds the uranium MCl of 20 pCi/l. The gross alpha results does not exceed the gross alpha MCl of 15 pCi/L due to the exclusion of uranium.

DIRECTIVES

1. In accordance with Section 64463.4 of Title 22, CCR, within 30 days after receiving this citation, the Depot shall provide public notification of its failure of the uranium MCL. This notice shall be given by direct mail to customers of the Depot and shall be given by publication in a weekly newspaper of general circulation serving the area. The Depot's notice shall follow the format proVided in Attachment A. The language and format of the notice to be used for completion of the public notification requirement shall be submitted to the

Department for review and written approval prior to its distribution and publication.

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA

STD. 113 (REV. 3-95)

OSP 05 90192

Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004

2. In accordance with Section 64463(c) of Title 22, CCR, the Depot shall provide public notice of its failure of the uranium MCl to the owner or operator of each of its retailer systems. Each retailer is responsible for providing public notice to the persons it serves. If the retailer arranges for the Depot to provide the notification, the Depot shall have the retailer notify the Department prior to the notice being given.

3. Proof of public notification shall be submitted to the Department using the form provided as Attachment B. The proof of public notification shall include a description of how and when the notification was provided to the persons served by the Depot's retailers. Public notification shall be given each calendar quarter the Depot's four-quarter running annual average from

Well 8 for uranium exceeds the MCl.

4. In accordance with Section 64442(g)(3) of Title 22, CCR, the Depot shall continue to collect quarterly samples from Well 8 for uranium analysis. The analytical results shall be reported to the Department no later than the 10th day following the month in which the samples were collected.

5. By December 1, 2008, the Depot shall submit to the Department, for review and approval, a plan and time schedule for improvements to the water system to correct the uranium water quality problem and eliminate the delivery of water to consumers that does not meet the primary drinking water

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STATE OF CALIFORNIA

STD. 113 (REV. 3-95)

Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004 standards. This plan shall also include an operational plan to minimize the use of Well 8 as is feasible.

6. The Depot shall submit a written response by October 15. 2008, indicating its willingness to comply with the directives of this citation.

All submittals required by this citation shall be addressed to:

Michael J. McNamara, P. E.

Lassen District Engineer

Department of Public Health

Division of Drinking Water

415 Knollcrest Drive, Suite 110

Redding, CA 96002

(530) 224-4800

CIVIL PENALTIES

Section 116650(d) and Section 116650(e) of the CHSC allow for the assessment of a civil penalty for failure to comply with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water

Act. This citation is being issued without the assessment of a civil penalty.

Failure to comply with any directive of this citation will result in a citation that may include an assessed civil penalty of up to $1,000 (one-thousand dollars) per day as of the date of any directive of this citation.

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OSP 05 90192

STD. 113 (REV. 3-95)

OSP 05 90192 L~i'1

Citation No. 01-02-08(C) 004

FURTHER ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

By issuance of this citation, the Department does not waive any further enforcement actions.

/ /)/ r// DC?/21/ I ()f:3 ·l);?~]. ~nr1~-r 7

Date Michael J. McNamara, P.E.

Lassen District Engineer

DRINKING WATER FIELD

OPERATIONS BRANCH

cc: Carl Lischeske, Chief - DDWEM - Northern California Field Operations Branch Kim Wilhelm, Chief - DDWEM - Northern California Section Lassen County Environmental Health Department

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Attachment A

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre su agua potable.

Traduzcalo 0 hable con alguien que 10 entienda bien.

Sierra Army Depot's Well 8 Has Levels of Uranium

Above the Drinking Water Standard

Our domestic water system recently violated the drinking water standard for uranium.

Although this is not an emergency, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.

The major source of uranium in drinking water is erosion of natural deposits. Uranium occurs at low levels in many types of rocks and soils and can be present in water from leaching of natural deposits. It may also be released from uranium mill tailings, emissions from the nuclear industry, the combustion of coal and other fuels, and the use of phosphate fertilizers that contain uranium.

What happened?

We are required by state regulations to test our well water for certain radioactive elements.

The maximum contaminant level (MCl) for uranium in drinking water as determined by the state is 20 picocuries per liter (pCi/l). Our latest samples indicate the level of uranium in Well 8 is 24 pCi/l, which is above the MCl.

What should I do?

• You do not need to use an alternative water supply (e.g., bottled water).

• This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.

However, some people who drink water containing uranium in excess of the MCl over many years may have kidney problems or an increased risk of getting cancer.

• If you have other health issues concerning the consumption of this water, you may wish to consult your doctor.

What is being done?

(Depot to provide information here.)

For more information, please contact:

Allen Nosier Sierra Army Depot (530) 827-4115, or Sandi Tenney California Department of Public Health (530) 224-4876

Please share this information with all 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.

This notice is being sent to you by Sierra Army Depot, PWS# 1810700 Date Distributed:

Attachment B

CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION OF PUBLIC NOTICE

This form, when completed and returned to the Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management (415 Knollcrest Drive, Suite 110, Redding, CA 96002 or fax to 530-224-4844), serves as certification that public notification to water users was completed as required by the California Water Quality and Monitoring Regulations. Completing public notification and providing the Department with certification is important. Failure to do so will result in additional hourly time charges to your water utility and may result in a formal enforcement action with monetary penalties.

Public Water System Name _S=ie:..:..r.:....:ra:::....:....A:.:..r:..:..m.:..lly~D=e~po.:.t=--- _

Public Water System No. __1:..;:8::....;1'-=0....:..7-=-0-=-0 _

Public notification for the quarter of (complete the appropriate quarter and year) uranium MCl failure was performed by the following method(s) (check and complete those that apply):

__ The notice was published in the local newspaper on _ A copy of the newspaper notice is attached.

__ The notice was mailed to users on _ A copy of the notice is attached.

The notice hand delivered to water customers on

A copy of the notice is attached.

__ The notice was posted in the following conspicuous places:

For this method, provide the date (or dates) that the notice was posted _ A copy of the notice is attached.

I hereby certify that the above information is factual.

Printed Name

Signature

Date