Where Does Palm Springs Water Come From?
Palm Springs water comes from from groundwater wells that draw from the surface aquifer in eastern Palm Beach County. This groundwater source is protected by the Palm Beach County Wellfield Protection Ordinance, which the Village of Palm Springs adheres to. The Village of Palm Springs Water Treatment Plant pre-treats the raw water with magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) system to remove organics.
It is disinfected using chloramines (chlorine and ammonia compound) and filtered before delivery to your home or business through a network of underground pipes.
While Palm Springs is responsible for the delivery source of drinking water, it cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components.
Is Palm Springs Tap Water Hard?
The level of hardness in Palm Springs tap water is determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water, which are common materials found in the Coachella Valley groundwater supply. The amount of hardness varies in the valley’s drinking water. Some areas have very hard water, while others are more mild.
Is There Arsenic in Palm Springs Tap Water?
Arsenic is an odorless and tasteless mineral naturally found in plants, rocks, soil, air, animals and water. In the Coachella Valley, naturally occurring arsenic is commonly found in groundwater in Mecca, Oasis, Valerie Jean and North Shore at levels higher than current state and federal standards. Before drinking water is delivered to CVWD customers in these areas, it is treated at one of three water quality treatment facilities to lower the arsenic level and comply with all state and federal standards. State and federal standards require average arsenic levels in tap water to not exceed 10 parts per billion. Ten parts per billion is the equivalent of one drop in 1,000 gallons.
If you live in the eastern Coachella Valley and your tap water comes from a private well or water system, the level of arsenic in your tap water may exceed the state and federal water quality standards. If you own a private well, call CVWD’s Water Quality section at (760) 398-2651 to schedule a free water quality test for arsenic. If you are a customer of a private water system, request the most recent water quality.
Is There Chromium-6 In Palm Springs Tap Water?
Natural sources of chromium-6 are found in water, soil, rocks and food. In the Coachella Valley, chromium-6 naturally exists in the valley’s groundwater due to erosion of local sediments that contain chromium. The current national standard for all forms of chromium is 100 parts per billion (ppb).
The California standard is twice as strict at 50 ppb. The average chromium-6 level in drinking water provided by CVWD is 9 ppb. One part per billion is equal to 1 drop in 10,000 gallons of water. California regulators are expected to use the public health goal based on a 2008 rodent study to develop a chromium-6 drinking water standard by 2014. The study found rodents that ingested chromium-6 levels above 20,000 ppb during their life-time showed an increased risk of developing cancer.
