Arsenic--why it is costing more to treat:
The Safe Drinking Water Act required the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to revise the previous 50 parts per billion (ppb) standard for arsenic in drinking water. On January 22, 2001 the EPA adopted a standard of 10 ppb, and all public water systems had to comply with this new standard beginning January 23, 2006, or get a deadline extension. We are happy to report that TMWA is in compliance with this new requirement and did meet the deadline. The plan includes water treatment improvements to 13 of TMWA's wells. TMWA's approach was extremely cost effective, saving more than $12 million in treatment costs.. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection awarded TMWA a $9 million loan to lower the arsenic concentrations in some of the wells exceeding the limits established by the Safe Drinking Water Act. TMWA used the loan to construct a conveyance system to transport contaminated well water to the surface water plant for treatment.
