Engineers release Travis water report Published June 19, 2009 By 60th Civil Engineer Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Many people take quality drinking water for granted. Many are unaware of where it comes from and what happens to it on its way to the tap. At Travis, drinking water comes from two sources; surface water and ground water. Surface water from the North Bay Aqueduct and Lake Berryessa makes up approximately 80 percent of the water delivered to the base. The water is treated in the City of Vallejo's Water Treatment Plant to reduce contaminants and stored in reservoirs on base for use. Ground water from three wells at Cypress Lakes Golf Course makes up the other 20 percent and is treated by 60th Civil Engineer Squadron at the wells before being stored in the same reservoirs. Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain some level of contaminants even after treatment. In order to ensure these contaminants are maintained at levels safe for human consumption, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Public Health established Maximum Contaminant Levels for drinking water. Water suppliers are required to periodically monitor their water to be sure it is below these MCLs and report the results to the Department of Public Health. In 2008, Travis monitored its drinking water for more than a hundred contaminants. Although some contaminants were detected, they were all below MCLs and the water was safe to drink. If contaminants had been detected at unsafe levels, the base population would have been notified and given instructions to follow to obtain safe drinking water until the condition was resolved. By July 1 of each year, suppliers are required to make monitoring results for the preceding year available to consumers. A summary of results for 2008 are contained in the 2008 Consumer Confidence Report, available on the 60 CES/CEA website at http://www.travis.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090617-077.pdf. Hard copies of the report will be available on base at the Asset Management Flight, 411 Airmen Drive, Building 570. For 2009, Travis AFB and the City of Vallejo are dedicated to continue supplying safe drinking water that meets federal and state requirements and achieves customer satisfaction. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the USEPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.