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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-03; Cross-Connection/Water Quality Issue at Hope Elementary School (District 2); Gomez, PazTo the members of the: Cl COUNCIL Date ~CA V CC _ll'.'.:. CM_ACM V DCM (3).lL, CMWD Board Memorandum March 3, 2022 To: Carlsbad Municipal Water istri t Board of Directors From: Paz Gomez, Deputy City Man Public Works Vicki Quiram, General Man ger Via: Scott Chadwick, Executive an Ccarlsbad Municipal Water District Memo ID #2022027 Re: Cross-Connection/Water Quality Issue at Hope Elementary School (District 2) This memorandum provides information related to the Feb. 24, 2022, discovery of a cross- connection between the recycled and potable water lines at Hope Elementary School, located at 3010 Tamarack Avenue. A cross-connection is a point in a water system where the potable, or drinking, water supply is connected to a non-potable source, in this case recycled water. The cross-connection involved Carlsbad Unified School District, or CUSD, owned pipes only and appears to be associated with the CUSD's ongoing construction project at the school. Background On Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, the CMWD received a call from the Project Manager for Erickson- Hall Construction Company, CUSD's contractor, requesting assistance with a water quality issue at Hope Elementary School. Erickson-Hall indicated that recent samples t.hat were taken at the school showed higher levels of copper than would normally be found in potable water. CMWD staff immediately responded to the school and began investigating. Discussion Upon arrival at Hope Elementary School on Feb. 24, 2022, CMWD staff took a water quality sample in one ofthe classrooms and found the TDS1 results of the water to be 740 milligrams per liter (mg/I), which confirmed that the water coming into the school's potable water system likely included recycled water. CMWD staff immediately shut-off the CMWD potable water supply to the campus. Once the potable water was shut-off, water was still reaching the classrooms throughout the school property. This further confirmed that the recycled water lines had been inappropriately connected to the potable water system within the school campus. The campus is under active construction. CMWD staff notified the school principal that all water supply to the campus would be shut-off immediately. Without water service on campus, the school sent home students and staff. CMWD 1 "TDS" in this context means "total dissolved solids" Carlsbad Municipal Water District 5950 El Camino Real I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-2722 t Board Memo -Cross-Connection/Water Quality Issue at Hope Elementary School (District 2) March 3, 2022 Page 2 staff notified the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality, or DEHQ, and the State Water Resources Control Board of the cross-connection and began to work with staff from these two agencies to ensure that all needed steps were taken and regulations met. During the investigation of the school site and its water pipes on Feb. 24, 2022, CMWD staff found newly constructed PVC pipes with a recycled water pipe connected to the CUSD1s potable water line behind one of the classrooms located at the back corner of the school property. CMWD staff eliminated the cross-connection by disconnecting the recycled water line from the potable water system. Staff also removed the school1s recycled water meter. After the school was vacated, CMWD staff began introducing chlorine into the distribution system to disinfect the potable water lines. This process involves injecting chlorine, or flushing, and follows a nationally recognized standard for disinfecting potable water mains. CMWD staff performed this process from Friday to Saturday, Feb. 25-26, 2022. CMWD staff took two sets of samples and sent them to a laboratory for testing .. Both sets of samples showed that the potable water met water quality standards. CMWD staff then contacted the State Water Board and notified the CUSD that the school could reopen. The CUSD sent notification to the families of the students stating that the potable water meets all standards and the school would reopen on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Recycled water is not connected at the school site at this time. Prior to reinstallation of the recycled water meter and restoration of recycled water service to the school site, the CMWD will require the CUSD to submit a recycled water use site plan that must receive approval from the CMWD, the DEHQ and the State Water Board. While CMWD staff do not know how long the recycled water was in the potable water system at the school, CUSD staff told CMWD staff that there had previously been multiple complaints from food services, teachers and students starting in approximately August 2021. The CUSD also told the CMWD that its construction contractor sampled the water on the following dates: April 2, 2021, Aug. 11, 2021, Nov. 10, 2021, Jan. 11, 2022, and Feb. 23, 2022. The contractor tested those samples for E.coli, which was not detected. The contractor continued to operate the system until Feb. 24, 2022, when the construction contractor contacted the CMWD. Next Steps CMWD staff will continue to address the issue by working with the CUSD and others and taking the following actions: 1. State Water Board Incident Report CMWD staff must provide a final incident report to the State Water Board by March 16, 2022. The State Water Board may grant an extension, if necessary. 2. Communication The CUSD published a "Hope Elementary School Water Issue Frequently Asked Questions11 document dated Feb. 28, 2022, on its website, which is provided as Board Memo -Cross-Connection/Water Quality Issue at Hope Elementary School (District 2) March 3, 2022 Page 3 Attachment A. This document answers questions and addresses concerns shared during calls to the CUSD from the school's families. CMWD staff are assisting with phone calls as needed. Two TV news stations, channels 10 and 7, covered this issue after being notified by concerned parents. The CMWD and other city departments including Construction Management & Inspection, Community Development, and Communication & Engagement worked together to answer the reporters' questions and explain the city's role. See attachment B for the information provided to the media. 3. CMWD Testing at Other CUSD Schools CMWD staff will work with the CUSD and the DEHQ to schedule cross-connection testing at the other schools that have recycled water and projects under construction. This will determine whether any changes have been made to those water systems and whether the potable and recycled water being served at these other schools meet all applicable regulatory standards. Attachments: A. Hope Elementary School Frequently Asked Questions dated Feb. 28, 2022 B. Media Response dated March 1, 2022 cc: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant Executive Manager Celia Brewer, General Counsel Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services Robby Contreras, Assistant General Counsel Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Director Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director Dave Padilla, District Engineer Babaq Taj, Engineering Manager Jason Geldert, Engineering Manager Eric Sanders, Utilities Manager Tim Carroll, Senior Engineer Andrew Wilson, Utilities Supervisor Hope Elementary School Water Issue Frequently Asked Questions 2/28/2022 Attachment A On Thursday, February 24, the City of Carlsbad was notified following a suspicion that the domestic water lines at Hope Elementary were crossed with reclaimed water irrigation lines on campus. Due to this suspicion, all water was immediately shut off on campus, and students were sent home. The District had been working with its contractors to investigate reported concerns with intermittent discoloration of the water at Hope Elementary. Water samples were taken throughout the campus and tested for safety. No pathogens (such as e.coli) were found in the samples, and the water was found to be within safe drinking standards. In an abundance of caution, we made bottled water available to students and staff while we looked further into the problem. Additional testing conducted by the City confirmed the suspicion. The City of Carlsbad worked closely with the district to locate the problem and repair it immediately. The City of Carlsbad gave the clearance to reopen on Monday, February 28, after treating the school's plumbing and conducting water quality tests, which were analyzed by a third-party laboratory for safety. After the cross connection was removed, the City purged the plumbing system throughout the school with highly chlorinated water, and then allowed the chlorinated water to sit overnight. On Friday, City crews then flushed out the chlorinated water with potable water. The water tests were conducted after this process was completed. We are grateful for the City's assistance in helping us resolve this problem. Additionally, we replaced all of the drinking water dispenser filters on campus. Frequently Asked Questions How did the cross connection occur? We are still investigating how this occurred. It appears that this happened during the course of construction based on the timing of complaints and the location of the cross connection. When did the complaints begin? Shortly after the school reopened in the fall, there were sporadic reports of water discoloration in limited locations; the construction teams indicated that the issue was aesthetic and would resolve upon flushing the system. We received additional complaints about intermittent problems with the water color, taste, and smell in November 2021. An investigation was conducted with testing results described below that did not indicate the water was unsafe. Following additional complaints after winter break, more tests were performed and the District hired an independent consultant to look deeper into the cause of the recurring problem. Carlsbad Unified School District, 2/28/2022 Page 1 of 3 How did the District respond? The District notified its contractors of the problem and brought them onsite to diagnose the issue. Initially it was believed that the source was contamination that was introduced during construction or other disturbance in the infrastructure which would resolve with flushing the plumbing lines. The water testing described below was performed to rule out harmful bacteria, but testing was not ordered that would have detected the higher levels of chlorine, water hardness, and alkaline content that is found in reclaimed water. The testing information we received concerning the safety of the water was shared with the principal, and she was relying on the same information provided to the District. As complaints persisted, the contractors were brought out again and eventually the District hired an independent consultant to conduct additional testing to determine the problem. Was the water tested? Yes. Testing was performed by the plumbing contractor. The water was tested twice before the school reopened-once before opening the new kindergarten classroom that was being temporarily used as an administration office, and once before the entire school was reopened. The water was tested for e.coli and other coliforms which would indicate harmful bacteria in the water. Reclaimed water is disinfected, which is why the tests did not detect those substances. Following school opening, tests were again conducted by the contractor while the problem was being investigated. Again, no e.coli or other coliforms were detected. Following the test in January, the District hired an independent consultant to determine the cause of the ongoing complaints. The increased levels of chlorine, water hardness, and alkaline content indicated the cross connection. Test results: April 2,2021 August 13 2021 November 10, 2021 January 11, 2022 February 24, 2022 Was the problem school wide or confined to specific locations? The plumbing system on the campus was being served by both potable water and water from the cross connection. The contaminated water mixed with the potable within the plumbing lines. What contaminants might students have been exposed to? Reclaimed water is highly treated and disinfected, but still contains higher levels of salts, dissolved minerals, nitrogen, and phosphorus than drinking water. The EPA has stringent guidelines to keep biological contaminants to a safe minimum. Do students need to be tested by their doctor? The State Water Resources Control Board advises parents to seek medical attention if your child exhibits symptoms of stomach or intestinal illness. Carlsbad Unified School District, 2/28/2022 Page 2 of 3 What was done to restore drinking water to the school? All water to the school was turned off while we located the cross connection on Thursday. February 24. Once the connection was found, it was removed and a new connection was made to the potable water. City of Carlsbad crews then purged the plumbing system with heavily chlorinated water on Thursday night. That water remained in the system overnight and was then flushed out on Friday. Following the flushing process, the City conducted its own water sampling on Friday (February 25) and Saturday (February 26). The County of San Diego reviewed the test results and gave clearance for the school to reopen on Monday (February 28). Is this a problem at other schools that had recent construction? We have not had any reports, but will work with the City of Carlsbad to conduct cross connection testing at Kelly and Magnolia as a precaution. Why didn't the District notify parents of the complaints? We are sincerely sorry that this was not reported earlier. We relied on the reports and information from our contractors, construction and bond program managers that the water had been tested for safety, that the issue was aesthetic, and would resolve. We did not anticipate the cause of the problem, and we regret that we did not discover the cause sooner. Once we were alerted to the cause, we took all the steps necessary to prevent further exposure; to inform our community; and to resolve the problem. Carlsbad Unified School District, 2/28/2022 Page 3 of3 Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 12:03:22 Pacific Standard Time Subject: Re: Hope Elementary Water Incident ATTACHMENT B Date: From: To: CC: Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 12:24:01 PM Pacific Standard Time Kristina Ray Feather, William (NBCUniversal), Vicki Quiram @NBC Uni KNSD Assignment Desk, rgrove@carlsbadusd.net Attachments: image001.png, image002.png Here you go. Please let me know if you have any other questions of the city or the water district. I've copied Rick Grove with the school district, who is their point of contact if you have questions for them. We were provided with an FAQ that was sent to parents and was also posted to the Carlsbad Unified district website. What was the city's involvement in the matter? The Carlsbad Unified School District's construction contractor contacted the Carlsbad Municipal Water District last Thursday, Feb. 24, to ask for help identifying the cause of water quality concerns at Hope Elementary. We sent staff to the school right away and confirmed that a school recycled water pipe had been connected to one if its regular water pipes. We notified the State Water Resources Control Board and the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality, which is the protocol when a "cross-connection" has been identified. Water district staff has worked with the school district and its contractor to locate the affected pipes and oversee the disconnection of the recycled water cross connection. Once that was done, water district staff followed the state's protocol for flushing and disinfecting the campus water system, which included additional testing. What was the timeline the school/district provided to the city regarding the issue? Once we were notified Feb. 24, district staff told us concerns had come up with the school's water quality since last fall, and that repeated testing conducted by the school district's contractors had not found harmful bacteria in the water. The FAQ Sheet outlines that the district notified its contractors of the problem and brought them onsite to "diagnose the issue" and that water testing was performed, but "testing was not ordered that would have detected the higher levels of chlorine, water hardness, and alkaline content that is found in reclaimed water." Was the city involved in this testing? No, not until Feb. 24. Is the city aware of why testing was not ordered that would have detected levels of chemicals and contaminants found in reclaimed water, especially if it was known that is what the issue was? No. Additional Questions: If construction was being done, why wasn't this cross-connection issue identified or addressed during an inspection with a City of Carlsbad inspector? Page 1 of 3 The school district didn't submit plans to work on its recycled water system. That is what would have triggered an inspection by the city. If you have a statement you are able to share regarding the incident, that would also be greatly appreciated. The Carlsbad Municipal Water District is working with the school district and its contractors to help prevent cross-connections during construction projects moving forward. From: Feather, William (NBCUniversal) <William.Feather@nbcuni.com> Date: Monday, February 28, 2022 at 8:19 PM To: Kristina Ray <Kristina.Ray@carlsbadca.gov>, Vicki Quiram <Vicki.Quiram@carlsbadca.gov> Cc: @NBC Uni KNSD Assignment Desk <NBCKNSDAssignmentDesk@nbcuni.com> Subject: Hope Elementary Water Incident Hi Kristina and Vicki, I am reaching out regarding an incident regarding water quality at Hope Elementary School. We have been contacted by community members after the district notified families of ongoing water issues throughout this school year. My specific questions are in bullets and italicized below. We were provided with an FAQ that was sent to parents and was also posted to the Carlsbad Unified district website. • What was the city's involvement in the matter? • What was the time line the school/district provided to the city regarding the issue? The FAQ Sheet outlines that the district notified its contractors of the problem and brought them onsite to "diagnose the issue" and that water testing was performed, but "testing was not ordered that would have detected the higher levels of chlorine, water hardness, and alkaline contentthat is found in reclaimed water." • Was the city involved in this testing? • Is the city aware of why testing was not ordered that would have detected levels of chemicals and contaminants found in reclaimed water, especially if it was known that is what the issue was? Additional Questions: • If construction was being done, why was this cross-connection issue identified or addressed during an inspection with a City of Carlsbad inspector? If you have a statement you are able to share regarding the incident, that would also be greatly appreciated. We are on a deadline of no later than 12p.m. tomorrow March 1, 2022. Page 2 of 3 Thanks, NBC7.com I Telemundo20.com .NBCUniversal Local BILL FEATHER Assignment Editor, KNSD I KUAN 0: 619.578.0204 I M: 619.204.2467 9680 Granite Ridge Drive San Diego, CA 92123 CAUTION: Do not o en attachments or click on links unless ou reco nize the sender and know the content is safe. Page 3 of 3