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WATER QUALITY Files

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Arsenic in Arizona's Water Supply

To reduce the risk of cancer from this chronic exposure to arsenic, the EPA changed the allowable limit for drinking water from 50 ppb to 10 ppb in January of 2006. This is projected to reduce the risk of cancer and other illnesses from arsenic by around 80%. The exact benefit cannot be defined because other sources of arsenic such as food or air are contributors to the health risk.  View document.

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Arsenic in Arizona’s Water Supply

Frequently Asked Questions about arsenic in drinking water. A CWAG bulletin. View Document. 

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Biological impacts of emerging contaminants in wastewater effluent – Full Report

To develop a better understanding of the issues and best practices related to the use of treated effluent to help maintain river flows and habitat, the Conservancy commissioned a study to summarize the state of the science. The use of treated wastewater effluent is becoming a more prominent factor in Arizona's overall water management strategy. Treated effluent contains a wide array of chemical and pharmaceutical compounds referred to as emerging contaminants. Because many of the individual compounds in wastewater persist through the treatment process and can cause damage to biological systems, careful consid- eration must be given to the design of treatment systems and use of treated wastewater effluent. As the state strives to achieve sustainable use of water, treated effluent is one option to supplement human and environmental needs.
Understanding tradeoffs between water quantity, quality and the cost of alternative treatment strategies will require access to the best available information for those working to maintain the conservation, economic and cultural values of our rivers. The Conservancy recognizes that treated wastewater effluent is a valuable resource, but also has associated risks.
The literature was summarized in a report by Dr. Catherine Propper and Dr. David Quanrud that examines the biological impacts of exposure to municipal wastewater effluent and ways to reduce exposure through conventional, natural and advanced treatment processes, including a comparison of costs. This summary provides an overview of the report's major findings, including the best practices identified in the scientific literature for treating effluent. View Document.

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Biological impacts of emerging contaminants in wastewater effluent – Summary Report

To develop a better understanding of the issues and best practices related to the use of treated effluent to help maintain river flows and habitat, the Conservancy commissioned a study to summarize the state of the science. The use of treated wastewater effluent is becoming a more prominent factor in Arizona's overall water management strategy. Treated effluent contains a wide array of chemical and pharmaceutical compounds referred to as emerging contaminants. Because many of the individual compounds in wastewater persist through the treatment process and can cause damage to biological systems, careful consideration must be given to the design of treatment systems and use of treated wastewater effluent. As the state strives to achieve sustainable use of water, treated effluent is one option to supplement human and environmental needs.
Understanding tradeoffs between water quantity, quality and the cost of alternative treatment strategies will require access to the best available information for those working to maintain the conservation, economic and cultural values of our rivers. The Conservancy recognizes that treated wastewater effluent is a valuable resource, but also has associated risks.
The literature was summarized in a report by Dr. Catherine Propper and Dr. David Quanrud that examines the biological impacts of exposure to municipal wastewater effluent and ways to reduce exposure through conventional, natural and advanced treatment processes, including a comparison of costs. This summary provides an overview of the report's major findings, including the best practices identified in the scientific literature for treating effluent. View Document.

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Emerging Chemical Contaminants

There is growing concern worldwide about aquifer pollution by large numbers of emerging, anthropogenic chemicals (ECs) that escape standard wastewater treatment. Inasmuch as the rapidly-growing, arid Southwest uses such effluent to recharge depleting aquifers, there is an acute need for a better understanding of and a more complete treatment process to protect human and environmental health. Important among these contaminants is a broad suite of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that include natural or synthetic hormones as well as compounds that mimic hormones and may interfere with the operation of endocrine systems even at concentrations of parts per trillion. Indeed, evidence now indicates that some aquatic organisms are adversely affected at these levels where treated wastewater is discharged into streams. The paper will elaborate on these points building a case that this issue deserves attention. By Frank Butterworth, Ken Janecek, and Ed Wolfe. View Document.

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EPA Handbook for Managing Onsite and Clustered Wastewater Treatment Systems

An introduction to management tools and information for implementing EPA's management guidelines for small wastewater treatment systems. View Document.

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State of the Verde River: Water Quality

The Sierra Club Water Sentinels have implemented a volunteer water quality and flow monitoring program on the Verde River. Teams of Water Sentinels volunteers have collected water samples, made field measurements of water quality parameters, and measured the flow of the river at six to eight sampling sites on the Verde River over the last five years. The data summarized in this report was collected between December 2, 2006, and December 10, 2011. The suite of water quality parameters include E. coli bacteria, total arsenic, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment concentration. Water Sentinels also made field measurements of dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and air and water temperature. They collected hundreds of water samples at six to eight sampling sites along the upper and middle reaches of the Verde River during all seasons in the five‐year period, visiting sampling sites on the Verde River five or six times each calendar year. View Document.

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Using Gray Water at Home

Two page brochure from ADEQ describing rules for using gray water. View Document.

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Water Quality Standards for Surface Waters

Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18 Chapter 11: Water Quality Standards. View Document.