The City of Norco’s source water has been treated with disinfectants designed to keep it safe for human consumption.  The City of Norco’s water comes from multiple sources: Local groundwater (wells), Chino Basin Desalter (wells), Arlington Desalter (wells), and Metropolitan Water District (via Corona) from the Colorado River.  While the City of Norco uses chlorine to disinfect its own well water, the other suppliers of water may use chlorine or chloramines.  The source water a consumer may be receiving at any one time changes frequently due to daily and seasonal consumer demands and planned or unplanned maintenance to the water system.  It is important all consumers are aware at times they could be receiving water from either source.

Because the City of Norco and other sources of water use disinfectants in their water supply, special care must be taken at all times to treat water that is intended to be used by kidney dialysis patients or in aquariums or fish ponds. While chloramines and chlorine are considered perfectly safe for humans, these disinfectants can be toxic to kidney dialysis patients and fish and must be removed from the water before being placed in aquariums or fish ponds.

Chlorine Removal

Basically, two methods can be used to remove chloramines or chlorine from water: 1) Add specific chemicals to neutralize chloramines or chlorine. 2) Use activated carbon filters to remove chloramines or chlorine.  Pet supply dealers have more information and the necessary chemicals to remove chloramines or chlorine from your water prior to filling your aquariums and fish ponds.

Just as chloramines must be removed from water used by fish, hemodialysis patients must eliminate chloramines from the water used by their artificial kidneys, and they should always assume that chloramines may be present in the water.  Chlorine is similarly toxic to these patients and always has been removed from water used in this kidney treatment.

What is Fluoride

The City of Norco has natural occurring fluoride levels in some of its groundwater wells that exceed the State MCL of 2.0 mg/L. In 1998, the City held public hearings and obtained a variance from compliance with the State fluoride standard. The variance established the City’s standard at 3.0 mg/L, or three fourths of the Federal MCL of 4.0 mg/L. To ensure compliance with the variance standard, the City routinely collects fluoride samples at each active groundwater source and at a designated sample location in the distribution system. The established compliance point represents the fluoride concentration in the water served to our City customers.  During 2017, the highest running annual average was 1.77 mg/L.

Drinking Water with Fluoride

Fluoride has been added to U.S. drinking water supplies since 1945.  Of the 50 largest cities in the U.S., 43 fluoridate their drinking water.  For those water suppliers that do choose to fluoridate their water supplies, the State Water Quality Control Board (formerly California Department of Health Services) requires daily monitoring by water utilities to ensure fluoride remains within acceptable levels.  The State Water Quality Control Board established a primary drinking water standard for fluoride at less than 2 mg/L, which is more stringent than EPA’s primary standard of less than 4 mg/L, and must be met by all water suppliers.  The State has granted the City of Norco a variance to serve water to customer with a maximum fluoride content of 3 mg/L.

Health Related Concerns Associated with Fluoridation

While most public health organizations, including the American Dental Association, endorse fluoridation, some citizen groups oppose it.  Among other complaints, opposition groups claim fluoride can cause bone cancer or general bone weakness.  Some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of the Federal MCL of 4.0 mg/L over many years may contract bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones. Children who drink water containing fluoride in excess of the State MCL of 2.0 mg/L may result in mottled teeth.  There are numerous articles about fluoride, both pro and con, available on the internet.

As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them into solution.  Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the most common minerals that make water hard.  The higher the concentration of these minerals the harder the water.  Hard water is not a health hazard but may interfere with many common household tasks.

Identifying Hard Water

You can usually detect hard water by the evidence in your home, including:

• Soap scum on bathtubs, shower tiles, and basins
• Film left on the body resulting in dry skin and dull, limp hair
• Decreased sudsing and cleaning capabilities of soaps and detergents, resulting in dingy laundry and reduced life of
• Increased buildup of scale on plumbing fixtures and cooking utensils such as a tea kettle, coffee maker, pasta pot, and dish
• Clogged pipes or appliances resulting in reduced water flow and increased repairs

Hardness Classification

Hardness is measured in grains per gallon of water or milligrams per liter.  Grains per gallon (gpg) is a unit of weight for a volume of water, as is milligrams per liter (mg/l).  One gpg (1 gpg) is equivalent to 17.1 mg/l.  You can evaluate the hardness of your water supply by referring to the following chart.

Although the measurable level of hardness will fluctuate over the year as sources of water supply are interchanged depending on demand, the City of Norco is generally considered to have “moderately hard to very hard water”.  Norco’s most recent Water Quality Report indicates that Compton water ranges in hardness from 8.3 to 18.7 grains per gallon.

Removing Hardness

This is a matter of personal choice.  Hard water is safe to drink.  While the calcium and magnesium minerals are important to good health, they may cause white spots or a white film on your glassware, coffee pots and shower doors, as well as deposits in boilers and water heaters.  These spots or deposits are formed when hard water is heated or evaporates.  It is best to read the owner’s manual for your dishwasher and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding settings for hard water.  Some other tips that may help reduce spotting include using hotter water, varying the brand and type of rinse agent and detergent, and adding white vinegar to the rinse cycle of the dishwasher.

There are several treatment options for hard water, including water softeners (salt or potassium), salt free water softeners (catalytic media), reverse osmosis (ultra fine filtration under pressure), and magnetic water softeners.  Treatment will improve the efficiency and life of appliances using hot water.  Customers wanting to obtain additional information regarding how each of these treatment options work, cost, and maintenance requirements are encourage to contact local treatment vendors or conduct research online.

Health Related Concerns Associated with Softened Water

Softening of water with a common water softener does increase the sodium content in the water.  Therefore, if you have health concerns about your sodium intake, consult your physician.  Although the minerals that make up hard water can provide trace amount of nutritional benefit for good health, the concentration of the minerals present do affect the "taste" of water.  Normally, water softeners are connected to the piping feeding the hot water heater to ensure the hot water is the only water softened in the home.  This reduces the hardness in your hot water, while enabling you to use un-softened water for cooking, cleaning and drinking.

How are Cross-Connections Prevented?

Requirements for Backflow Testers

Backflow Test Report Forms

Backflow Form Submission

The Consumer Confidence Rule requires public water suppliers that serve the same people year round (community water systems) to provide consumer confidence reports (CCR) to their customers. These reports are also known as annual water quality reports or drinking water quality reports. The CCR summarizes information regarding sources used (i.e., rivers, lakes, reservoirs, or aquifers) any detected contaminants, compliance and educational information. The reports are due to customers by July 1st of each year. You can review the latest and past CCR’s by clicking the links below. The City of Norco's water supply meets or exceeds all State and Federal water quality standards. Click on the PDF Links below for further information.

Norco's Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Extended Emergency Regulation for Statewide Conservation

Retail Water Supply Certification