IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable.
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Menlo Park Municipal Water District Did Not Meet Filtration Requirement 

Due to an operational error in the San Francisco Regional Water System, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) failed to adequately filter your drinking water for a brief period of time on Tuesday, March 3, 2015.  Although this is not, and was not, an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

This letter is being sent under the direction of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), Division of Drinking Water.

What should you do?

• There is nothing that you need to do at this time. You do not need to boil your water or take other actions. This is not, and was not, an emergency.  If it had been, you would have been notified immediately.  
  
• Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms.  These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.  These symptoms, however, are not caused only by organisms in drinking water.  If you have experienced any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.  Of note, two years of water quality data on the source of the untreated water, including additional samples taken promptly after the incident confirm the absence of pathogens of concern like Cryptosporidium and Giardia.  
  
• People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk.  These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.  General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from U.S. EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.
  
• If you have other health issues concerning the consumption of the water, you may wish to consult your doctor.

What happened and what is being done?
Due to an operational error by the SFPUC, a valve was accidently left open allowing a limited amount of untreated water from the SFPUC’s San Antonio Reservoir in the East Bay to enter into the treated San Francisco Regional Water System, and to subsequently enter Menlo Park Municipal Water District. The untreated water was blended with already treated water before reaching any customers, providing some disinfection treatment.  Some customers in our service area received this blend of water.  The SFPUC has since released the remaining water into its Peninsula reservoir, where it will be treated before future delivery to water customers. 

The San Antonio Reservoir is a highly protected drinking water reservoir with no public access.  Two years of water quality data, including additional samples taken promptly after the incident confirm the absence of pathogens of concern like Cryptosporidium and Giardia. 

The SFPUC is conducting a thorough investigation and will work with its regulatory agency, the SWRCB Division of Drinking Water, and our wholesale customers, including Menlo Park Municipal Water District to prevent any future occurrences.  

For more information, about your water quality or service please contact your water provider: Pam Lowe at 650-330-6750 or water@menlopark.org. For more information about the incident in the Regional System, please contact the SFPUC at: (866) 973-1476.

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, for people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses, you can do this by posting this public notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Secondary Notification Requirements
In accordance with State regulations, the following entities receiving this notification from the operator of a public water system, must provide subsequent notification within 10 days [Health and Safety Code Section 116450(g)]:

• SCHOOLS: Must notify school employees, students, and parents (if the students are minors).
  
• RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY OWNERS OR MANAGERS (including nursing homes and care facilities):  Must notify tenants.
  
• BUSINESS PROPERTY OWNERS, MANAGERS, OR OPERATORS:  Must notify employees of businesses located on the property.

This notice is being sent to you by Menlo Park Municipal Water District.

State Water System ID#: 4110017.  Date distributed: March 20, 2015.

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