HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10201987 - S.7 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak OJI Xtra
Supervisor Tom Torlakson
HATE: October 16, 1987 CostaC
SUBJECT: Request Department of Water Resources to Terminate v
Export Pumping Until Salt Levels In Drinking Water
Are Reduced
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECCMMENDATION(S ) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Request the Department of Water Resources to terminate
export pumping from the Delta until the salt levels are
reduced in Contra Costa water supplies .
BACKGROUND
The Contra Costa County Water District has disclosed that
salt content in the drinking water for 300,000 county
residents is the highest in a decade ( see attached article) .
The sodium levels are high enough to be a problem for people
who must have a restricted diet or who have a medical
condition aggravated by salt intake.
The Board should, therefore, request that all export pumping
be stopped until the salt levels can be reduced. The salt
intrusion is greater this year because of the low rainfall.
However, the situation is worsened by continuing to export
more water out of the Delta.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT'. 'YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _.._ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON October 20, 1987 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED .X OTHER _X
Also, DIRECTED that request be directed to the U. 'S. Bureau of Reclamation.
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT �__ AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES:_ —_—__ _ NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Community Development ATTESTED ��d7
County Administrator ae 10--os-1
1- --
PHIL BATCHELOR. CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
M382,'"7:43 BY-._ _ _,DEPUTY
: Ar
ring ingFrom Page 1A times like now, Nelson said. But if
: � 17te salt is not a health thirst to is approved the project won't t
the average person even if it ready for five to eight years, fie ad
changes the taste of the water, said ed.
Margaret McLaughlin, a district Contra Costa Water was rescuE
h mtet spokeswoman. from high sails in December 194
a1tOne English muffin has as much when it diluted its own water wi
sodium as a gallon of Contra Costa surplus Sierra water purchase
water, she said. from the East Bay Municipal Will
The health concern is for people District.
on sodium-restricted diets. The Ert y
..,-n a d�uuade, vironmental Protection Agency, rec. We have no su los this year
4 1?BMllb spokesman Gayle Morommends I1t„se customers use wa gontery said. If it's a dry wint
5u penis Cuff — it ter with no more than 20 mg/1,
ragain, the East Bay district will ha'
l which is exceeded in ma.t5' water to ration customers, as it did
More local � supplies.
.CONCORD— Drinking water � Nelson ,redic:ted salts in the: wa- 1977, he said.
f,r 3"30,000 Fast and Central ��'°�$' � The Contra Costa Water Distri
';ciunty residents is close to its ter won't change much in coming
iest level in a decade, and will We3Pons station weeks as s!alc and federal reservoir would have to ration and live wir
get saltier if Califomia has an-
protesters end 40 day fast operators release fresh t:;tter to try `Eater quality problems as well, Ne
son said:
other d winter. � A ;�to meet the salinity star;,.ard for
n e� Some 15 rnillion Californians g
11 Man traces Marsh ii Rock Sloul +r.
Contra Costa Water District house owners ;.i "}f we have another critic,10y dry all or some of their drinking wat
officials say the water is more 6A ! year, however, I can't say how high from the Delta, but most get it fro
Than salty enough to be noticed '" She levels will t*n," he said. "the. Clifton Court Forebay farther inlay
by people with sensitive palates, I state water l.oard relaxed the Rock and more protected from ocean s
although customer complaints Slough near Knightsen, the d..s �,�lou h standard in the last drought. Ifni intrusion.
haven't increased yet. trio pumps Luster through ttte gty ,
Contra Costa Canai to customers Poughly half of Contra Costa Rock Slough water was about .
High salts also can increase in Concord, Pleasant Hill, Pa `Water's customers; nuy nottled wa- percent inure salt}' than Cliftc
health risks for heart patients checo, parts of Walnut Creek, ter or use home water treatment de- Court on Friday, Nelson said. .
and others on sodium-restricted Clayton, Martinez. Oakley, Anti• ces, a district survey found lest Contra Costa Water has anoth
diets, and cause manufacturing och, Pittsburg and West Pitts year. water source, Mallard Slough
:end water treatment problems burg The district's proposed Los Va- West Pittsburg, but it has been tc
for heavy industries. Sodium in canal water wa queros Reservoir ,tear Brentvvlood salty to use except for three da;
"We're looking at a salty measured Friday at 147 mili• would store.high-quality water for this year, Nelson added.
year," said Austin Nelson, the grams per liter of water, 17 m1--- _
water district's chief engineer. Dams below the 164 milligrams
"In the short tern!, there itsn't per liter state maximum for Rock
much we can do because it's a Slough, Nelson said.
result of things we can't control." With the exception of late
Lack of winter rain and snow 1985,this is the saltiest the water
cut the freshwater flows that has been since the 1976-77
keep ocean tides from intruding drtught when sodium climbed to
into the Sacramento-San Joaquin 210 mg/1, according to district re-
:iver Delta, the district's water cords.
source. Please see SALT, Paye 2A
From its intake at Rock
f
:,i the Contra Costa Rai - '
160 y Worst soclltmt level on rc+eotd:
4
140 291 p in,'Jcity 11972;sfw Andrus
1
l;31a+ r
n p oa bt r �C
si tsv
120
a
: . W rst s+adham!Duel!tteSt ten '.
r_
_ 0 ,
years:_70 � t March
during the 176•37drt"
uJ yt.: .. .:.
80 ,,
;,- ` EFA recornmerided.sadit till!oval ° o.t
GO
for people on scx!!uin r+e`itrL .:
cltstst.20 ppm
40 , r
. 'wer1.' mus . r . . . r . . . e r s . . . r . o
0 _ _—�-------. .�
S 0:. .;N.. D J:; F .> M A M J J A. S ..
1 cJati_�•••-.19ti7.. (
Staff 0r;ppF,C,h.Uchaol Swnnlak