Page 116 - Beaumont Basin Watermaster

Section 4
Water Quality Conditions

Aluminum. There were 31 water samples taken during the reporting period and tested for
aluminum. Aluminum concentration at all wells, except the city of Banning M-3 Well, was
below 50 ug/L, significantly below the secondary MCL of 200 ug/L. Banning M-3 had a
maximum concentration of 57 ug/L. Aluminum above the MCL can add color to water. One
well exceeded the MCL during the FY 2004-08 reporting period.

Arsenic. The current MCL for Arsenic has been set to 10 ug/L. There were 33 water samples
collected and tested for arsenic during the reporting period with most wells reporting under 2.0
ug/L. The highest arsenic concentration was observed at SMWC’s Well No. 4; arsenic
concentration at this well has increased from 4.2 ug/L in 2009, to 4.6 ug/L in 2012, to the
highest value of 5.2 ug/L in April 2013. Latest value, recorded in April 2016, arsenic
concentration was down to 4.4 ug/L.

Iron. A total of 31 water samples were taken during the reporting period and tested for iron. In
most cases iron concentration was below 100 ug/L., which is significantly below the current
secondary MCL of 300 ug/L. However, there is one well that exceeded the MCL during the 2014-
18 period; BCVWD Well No. 3 at 450 ug/L. Iron at a concentration above the MCL can impact
color, odor, and taste in water. Five wells exceeded the MCL during the FY 2004-08 reporting
period.

Lead. There were 31 water samples collected and tested for lead during the reporting period.
Lead concentrations were all below 0.005 mg/L (5 ppb), which is well below the current primary
MCL of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb). Slightly higher concentrations were reported before 2014 at BCVWD
Well No. 25 (0.0065 mg/L) and at Rancho Calimesa Mobile Home Park Well No. 1 (0.0058 mg/L).
One well exceeded the MCL during the FY 2004-08 reporting period.

Manganese. There were 31 water samples taken during the reporting period and tested for
Manganese. Manganese concentration at all wells was below 20 ug/L, significantly below the
secondary MCL of 50 ug/L. Manganese can significantly impact color and taste in water at
concentrations above the MCL. One monitoring well exceeded the secondary MCL during the
FY 2004-08 reporting period.

Total Chromium. A total of 31 water samples were taken during the reporting period and tested
for total chromium. The highest reported concentrations of total chromium were observed in
December 2018 at BCVWD Well 26 at 16 ug/L and in March 2017 at Banning C-3 at 15 ug/L.
Both of these values are significantly below the current state primary MCL of 50 ug/L. One well
exceeded the state primary MCL during the FY 2004-08 reporting period.

Vanadium. Three water samples were tested for vanadium during the reporting period from
SMWC’s Well 4 and YVWD No. 48. Vanadium at the SMWC well has been consistently hovering
around 100 ug/L doubling the state notification level of 50 ug/L. Vanadium concentration at YVWD
No. 48 was 25 ug/L in 2014, but increase to 90 ug/L in the summer of 2017.

Copper. There were 31 water samples collected and tested for copper during the reporting
period. None of the wells tested during the reporting period exceeded the detection limit of 50

Beaumont Basin Watermaster 2018 Annual Report – DRAFT - February 2019 4-10