Fairfield Municipal Utility to participate in microplastics monitoring

Fairfield, California (Monday, July 10, 2023) 

Microplastics are made up of plastic matter that varies in size, is not detectable by the human eye, and results from commercial product development or the breakdown of larger plastic particles. Over the years, the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (DDW) has placed emphasis on the need to monitor for microplastics in drinking water and, last year, adopted a policy handbook establishing a standard method of testing and reporting for microplastics in drinking water.

The plan for monitoring and reporting will take place over the next several years, and to date, no government in the world has required monitoring for microplastics in drinking water. The City’s water system was among over two dozen wholesale and retail agencies across the State who were directed to participate.

The city is currently working with DDW to confirm sampling locations. It has proposed sampling at each water plant intakes at Waterman and North Bay Regional Water Treatment Plants.

Fairfield Municipal Utility is the only water agency in Solano County to be selected, and the State is not offering any funding to offset additional staffing, testing, and reporting costs.

For more information on the City’s water system and water quality reports, please visit www.fairfield.ca.gov/ffwater

Fairfield’s Water infrastructure is vital to the prosperity of our economy and continued investment in our water system will keep Fairfield families and businesses thriving. Fairfield Municipal Utility’s (FMU) system delivers safe, reliable water to businesses and residents 24/7 through a complex set of underground piping, pumping, processing, and storage facilities.

SUPPLY:

Source water for the City of Fairfield comes from the local watersheds of the Upper Putah Creek (Lake Berryessa) and the Northern Sacramento River Valley (Lake Oroville).

TREATMENT AND WATER QUALITY:

Two treatment plants receive and process raw water.

 

The North Bay Regional Water Treatment Plant (NBR) is jointly-owned with Vacaville and is operated by the City of Fairfield.

 

The Waterman Water Treatment Plant is City-owned and operated. Both plants have a combined maximum capacity of 70 million gallons per day.

 

 

 STORAGE:

The City owns and operates twelve reservoir storage facilities representing approximately 78 million gallons of treated water storage capacity.

Storage facilities consist of either concrete buried reservoirs or above-ground steel tanks.

 

 

 

DISTRIBUTION:

The City’s distribution system consists of a complex set of underground piping totaling over 375 miles.

 

Fifteen pump station facilities operate continuously to
deliver water to customers.

 

 

 

CONNECTIONS:

The City has over 33,000 customer connections across several categories.

A customer connection consists of a water meter which represents the physical interface between the City and the customer.