Moses Lake Water Quality: Ensuring Clean and Safe Water for Your Community
Understanding Moses Lake's Water Quality
The Moses Lake 2023 Water Quality Report shows that the highest levels of fluoride, nitrate, and trichloroethylene found are within the legal limits.
| Contaminants | MCL | Highest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Flouride (ppm) | 4 | 2.44 |
| Nitrate | 10 | 5.19 |
| Trichloroethylene | 5.0 | 1.81 |
*MCL: the maximum contaminant level allowed in drinking water.
However, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the legal limits for contaminants still need to be updated. EWG is a non-profit American activist group specializing in researching and advocating for harmful environmental chemicals. When water from Moses Lake was measured against EWG standards, ten contaminants exceeded EWG health guidelines:
| Contaminants | Contaminant Level | MCL | EWG Standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 1.39 ppb | 10 ppb | 0.004 ppb |
| Bromochloroacetic acid | 0.560 ppb | No legal limit | 0.02 ppb |
| Bromodichloromethane | 0.151 ppb | No legal limit | 0.06 ppb |
| Dibromoacetic acid | 0.467 ppb | No legal limit | 0.04 ppb |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.329 ppb | No legal limit | 0.1 ppb |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 0.592 ppb | 60 ppb | 0.1 ppb |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) | 3.39 ppb | No legal limit | 0.06 ppb |
| Nitrate | 0.920 ppm | 10 ppm | 0.14 ppm |
| Nitrate and nitrite | 0.921 ppm | 10 ppm | 0.14 ppm |
| Thallium | 0.533 ppb | 2 ppb | 0.1 ppb |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 1.00 ppb | 0.15 ppb | 80 ppb |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.865 ppb | 0.4 ppb | 5 ppb |
Furthermore, “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are detected in Moses Lake tap water above the State Action Level (SAL). SAL are used for contaminants that don’t have an MCL.
Factors Affecting Moses Lake Water Contaminant Levels
Inorganic Contaminants
Salts and metals are commonly found in urban stormwater, industrial wastewater, and residential wastewater.
Radioactive Contaminants
These can come from natural soil deposits, oil and gas production, and mining activities.
Organic Chemical Contaminants
These include synthetic and volatile organic chemicals originating from industrial and petroleum by-products, urban stormwater, and septic systems.
Microbial Contaminants
Viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms can enter the water from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, wildlife, and agricultural livestock farms. Natural occurrences, such as blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) growth, are common in Moses Lake, especially during the summer heat, producing harmful toxins.
Pesticides and Herbicides
Runoff from farms, urban stormwater, and residential water waste contribute to these contaminants such as phosphorus.
Solutions for Improving Moses Lake Water Quality
Here are filters that can reduce contaminant levels found in Moses Lake water. Out of the three, reverse osmosis filtration systems are most recommended.
| Contaminants Above EWG Health Guidelines | Granular Activated Carbon | Reverse Osmosis | Ion Exchange Resins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | Yes | Yes | |
| Bromochloroacetic acid | Yes | Yes | |
| Bromodichloromethane | Yes | Yes | |
| Dibromoacetic acid | Yes | Yes | |
| Dibromochloromethane | Yes | Yes | |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | Yes | Yes | |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) | Yes | Yes | |
| Nitrate | Yes | Yes | |
| Nitrate and nitrite | Yes | Yes | |
| Thallium | Yes | Yes | |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Trichloroethylene | Yes | Yes | |
| PFAS | Yes | Yes |
Professional Water Quality Testing for Moses Lake Residents
While the City of Moses Lake is actively enhancing tap water quality, you can take additional steps to ensure your home’s water meets the highest Environmental Working Group (EWG) standards. Start with a complimentary water analysis from H2O Solutions, Inc. Our experts will assess your water quality and provide customized solutions for safer, cleaner drinking water.
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