Quarterly domestic water notice

Updated March 6, 2012

Fort Irwin’s Water System is operated under a privatization contract with CH2MHill.  As the system ownership is not transferred to CH2MHill, compliance responsibilities still reside with the U.S. Army.

Fort Irwin has two water systems. A Reverse Osmosis or RO System and a domestic use system or DU system. The domestic use (DU) water is higher than the California standard in Fluoride (Maximum Contaminate Levels, MCL = 2 mg/L).  The Domestic Use water is also higher than both the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and State of California standard of Arsenic (MCL 10 µg/L). DU water is intended for use in washing, cleaning, irrigation, and other non potable uses. Both arsenic and fluoride in our water comes from erosion of natural deposits.

Fort Irwin treats a portion of the DU water at our reverse osmosis water treatment plant.  The Reverse Osmosis treatment process removes contaminates including Fluoride and Arsentic and ensures our water meets all State and Federal Safe Drinking Water standards.  The RO water should be used for drinking and cooking.

The RO system is visible in housing or your work space as either a RO water tab (shown at left) usually in the kitchen or a water fountain (shown at right).  Areas that do not have RO water are provided with bottled drinking water.

Fort Irwin has completed the design of a new Water Treatment Facility.  Our goal is that by the end of the year 2016, all water that our customer’s use will meet or exceed the Federal and state MCLs. At that time the system ownership and permits will be transferred to CH2MHill.

Fort Irwin’s water permit requires Fort Irwin to notify the public quarterly of the following:

This is an alert about your drinking water and a cosmetic dental problem that might affect children under nine years of age. At low levels, fluoride can help prevent cavities, but children drinking water containing more than 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride may develop cosmetic discoloration of their permanent teeth (dental fluorosis). The Domestic Use (DU) water provided by Fort Irwin water system has a fluoride concentration ranging from of 0.8 mg/L to 10 mg/L.

Dental fluorosis may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should use the RO water to avoid the possibility of staining and pitting of their permanent teeth. You may also want to contact your dentist about proper use by young children of fluoride-containing products. Older children and adults may safely drink the water.

Drinking water containing more than 4 mg/L of fluoride can increase your risk of developing bone disease.

Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of the MCL over many years may experience skin damage or circulatory system problems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer. The Domestic Use (DU) water provided by Fort Irwin water system has a arsenic concentration ranging from not detected (ND) to 34 µg/L.

For more information, please contact Water Resources Manager, Fort Irwin DPW, at 760-380-4987 or P.O. Box 105085, Bldg 602, Fifth St. Fort Irwin, CA 92310-5085. If you have questions concerning Fort Irwin Water System operation contact CH2MHill 760-386-9706. Some home water treatment units are also available to remove fluoride from drinking water. To learn more about available home water treatment units, you may call the California Department of Health Services Water Treatment Device Unit at (916) 323-5600.

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

Si desea leer este anuncio en Espanol pude leudo en in red electronica en  http://www.irwin.army.mil/Post/Environment/ Estado de California a la Unidad de Equipo de Tratamiento al telefono 916 323-5600.