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City of Boardman officials present nitrate test results, stress drinking-water standard is 10 ppm
Summary
City of Boardman staff told the North County Clean Water Consortium that recent nitrate results stay below the federal drinking-water maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per million, while state rules and monitoring triggers differ. The city described sampling patterns, three collector wells and arrangements for further public information.
City of Boardman officials told the North County Clean Water Consortium that nitrate results reported to the state remain below the federal drinking-water maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per million and that average system concentrations have been well below that threshold.
Brandon Hammond, City of Boardman, said the city’s long-term average from 2003 through the present is about 2.8 ppm and that a six-year average is roughly 3.7–3.8 ppm. He said the highest single historic reported value in the city’s records was from 2003 and that federal law sets the drinking-water standard at 10 ppm. Hammond encouraged residents to consult Oregon Health Authority (OHA) published monitoring records for the system.
The city’s engineer and others explained the difference between federal and state triggers. Multiple speakers — including the city engineer and consulting engineers — explained that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the federal MCL at 10 ppm for nitrate in drinking water. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) guidance and state monitoring practices can use a lower numeric level (discussed at about 7 mg/L in the meeting) as a trigger for additional sampling or discharge-related requirements; speakers cautioned the two values are used for different regulatory purposes.
Boardman officials said the system draws from three collector wells on the Columbia River and that sampling points are taken at the plant and at distribution locations; those distribution samples can reflect mixtures of source water once water is blended in the system. City staff said one well was taken out of full service for a period while yield and particulate issues were addressed and later returned to service at a lower pumping rate. A third collector well was described as coming into service recently; the city said the new well will let officials track source changes in subsequent sampling rounds.
Speakers described monitoring frequency as driven by state requirements and by the sort of analyte being tested. Hammond said nitrate monitoring reported in the city’s consumer confidence materials is post-treatment (that is, the test results reflect water after the plant’s treatment step). The city also said it conducts other tests on different schedules (daily, quarterly and annual tests depending on the analyte) as required by state rules.
Several advisory members and attendees asked for follow-up on historic elevated samples reported in distribution “dead ends” and on which sample locations correspond to which well sources. Boardman staff said some earlier higher readings were associated with poorly flushed endpoints in the distribution system and that looping or flushing those dead ends reduced measured nitrate concentrations at those locations.
City staff handed printed summaries to consortium members and reiterated that OHA posts the certified monitoring results online. They offered to provide additional documentation to the consortium on request.
Ending: Boardman staff said they will keep sharing sampling data with the consortium and public; attendees were told they can pull certified results from OHA’s website and that the city will provide further documentation on request.
