Earlier this month, Sweetwater Authority (Authority) received calls from customers in the City of National City regarding discoloration of their drinking water. Upon receiving these calls, staff from the Authority’s Water Quality department deployed staff into the field to perform site investigations at several homes and businesses. An in-depth investigation led staff to find a significant change in system pressure, which was the result of a new water main that was being installed and a zone valve being inadvertently opened. Once this valve was closed, the water discoloration ceased. The Authority is working on continued enhancements to its best management practices to mitigate these types of events from occurring in the future.
The Authority recognizes the importance of these calls and takes them very seriously. The Authority takes pride in consistently delivering water that not only meets, but exceeds federal and state water quality standards. Occasionally, however, certain occurrences within the Authority’s water sources or distribution system can affect water color. While there was no impact to water quality and safety, we understand the concerns of our customers.
“The Authority’s Governing Board continues to advocate for water quality and public safety and has prioritized projects and practices to continually emphasize water quality,” said Chair Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. “In addition to continuing to perform routine flushing, the Authority has been making plans and long-term financial investments in projects that will continue to improve water quality throughout our service area.”
One of these projects is the proposed National City Wells Iron and Manganese Removal System. Currently in the design phase, this new system will minimize and
prevent the accumulation of iron and manganese deposits within the Authority’s water distribution system in National City and should alleviate customer complaints due to discolored water. The Authority ensures the drinking water it serves to the public complies with all state and federal regulatory requirements for water quality, and provides annual consumer confidence reports about water quality to each consumer in its service area annually. The Authority’s Water Quality Report can be found at www.sweetwater.org/wqreport.