!

October 20, 2010

EHS and Insurance

Austin Community College
9101 Tuscany Way
Austin, TX 78754

Sent via U.S. Mail and via e-mail to rwatkin1@austincc.edu .

Attention: Mr. David Watkins

Reference: DRINKING WATER SAMPLING FOR LEAD - October 2010

Austin Community College, Rio Grande Campus
1212 Rio Grande Street, Austin, Texas 78701
Baer Engineering Document No. 091062-8i.190

Dear Mr. Watkins:

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc. (Baer Engineering) is pleased to submit
this report regarding the drinking water sampling for lead, performed on October 3, 2010.
Sampling was conducted in the Main Building at the Austin Community College (ACC) Rio
Grande Campus.

FIELD SERVICES
Mr. Zach Rayburn mobilized to the site on October 3, 2010, and met with you at 5:00 pm to
collect drinking water samples for laboratory analysis of lead. Samples were collected from 12
water fountains and several locations in the cafeteria. Samples collected from the cafeteria
included cold tap water from three sinks and one soda machine. Ice was collected from the ice
dispenser and one hot water sample was collected from the hot water tap of the coffee
machine. Our sampling protocol included the following steps:

• Unpurged, first-draw water samples were collected in laboratory-provided, clean, 250

milliliter plastic containers.
• The pH of each sample, except for the ice sample, was measured using a Corning
PS-15 pH meter.
• Samples were delivered to the laboratory within 24-hours of sample collection.

Samples were collected from the cafeteria. Each sample was collected by turning on the cold
water tap for each sink and the soda machine. The same procedure was used for the hot water
tap of the coffee dispenser. The ice sample was collected directly from the ice bin.

Samples were collected from the water fountains by removing each fountain’s front cover and
opening the water valve. At the time of sampling, the water valve to the water fountains had
been turned off and water coolers were provided at each water fountain location. Removing the
front cover of each water fountain revealed a single water source for paired water fountains.
Given this information, only one sample was collected from paired water fountains rather than

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.

7756 Northcross Drive, Suite 211 ! Austin, Texas 78757
Telephone: 512/453.3733 • Fax: 512/453-3316 • Toll Free: 800/926-9242
www.BaerEng.com
!
Austin Community College: 091062-8i.190 October 20, 2010
Drinking Water Re-Sampling for Lead, Rio Grande Campus, Austin, Texas Page 2

collecting samples from each paired fountain as was done in previous sampling events.
Unpurged first-draw samples were collected once the water valve was opened.

The samples were delivered to the Lower Colorado River Authority - Environmental Laboratory
Services (ELS) of Austin, Texas, for analysis of lead by EPA Method 6020/200.8. ELS is a
state-certified drinking water laboratory. A three-day turnaround time was requested for the
analyses.

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.

 Austin Community College: 091062-8i.190 October 20, 2010
Drinking Water Re-Sampling for Lead, Rio Grande Campus, Austin, Texas Page 3

DATA SUMMARY
The field measurements and the laboratory report are summarized in the table below. A copy of the analytical report is attached to
this letter. The table below is highlighted to show the following:

• Locations in BLUE are fountains;

• Lead results in GREEN contain no measurable lead, above the laboratory’s Practical Quantitation Limit (PQL);
• Locations not sampled during a sampling event are indicated as Did Not Sample (DNS).

October May August September October

May Aug Sept Oct
Location Sample Location Lead Lead Lead Lead NOTES
pH pH pH pH
No. mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
MAIN BUILDING
Basement
Fountain, south end 1 (N) 9.1 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00100 9.5 <0.00102 --- DNS
W-10 Fountain, south end 2 (S) 9.1 <0.00102 9.3 0.00559 9.5 <0.00102 9.2 0.00103 Next to Art Department
W-09 Fountain, north end 9.1 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102 9.1 <0.00102 Across from Room 018.0
st
1 Floor East Corridor:
Sign read “not working”.
Fountain, north end 1 (S) 9.2 <0.00102 9.4 0.00513 9.4 <0.00102 --- DNS
Next to the “Little Store”.
Sign read “not working”.
W-08 Fountain, north end 2 (N) 9.2 <0.00102 9.3 0.00486 9.4 <0.00102 9.3 0.00231
Next to the “Little Store”.
Across from Campus Police
W-11 Fountain, south end 9.2 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.7 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102
(Rm. 102.0)
West Corridor:
Fountain, south end 1 (N) 9.2 <0.00102 9.2 0.00243 --- DNS --- DNS

W-06 Fountain, south end 2 (S) 9.2 <0.00102 9.1 0.00609 --- DNS 9.2 0.00104 Near Rm. 112.0

W-13 Fountain, north end 9.2 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.7 <0.00102 9.3 0.00100 Across from Rm. 124.0
Cafeteria
The pH could not be
W-01 Ice Machine DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS --- <0.00102
measured from ice.
W-02 Soda Machine Tap Water DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 9.2 <0.00102

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.

the
listed

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fountain

coffee
Sample)
shared a

tested.
fountains

sinks in
the water

Simon's
first time
labled with

document.
source with

machine,
machine,
immediately

the water.
single water

since May
have lead in

This is the
them. Those

following it in

have been
Circled water

DNS (Did Not

Only a sink
that the ice
were found to

have lead in
was found to
machine and
 Austin Community College: 091062-8i.190 October 20, 2010
Drinking Water Re-Sampling for Lead, Rio Grande Campus, Austin, Texas Page 4

October May August September October

May Aug Sept Oct
Location Sample Location Lead Lead Lead Lead NOTES
pH pH pH pH
No. mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L
W-03 Coffee Machine DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 8.8 <0.00102
W-04 Metal Sink – Single Basin DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 9.6 <0.00102
W-05 Porcelain Sink DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 9.6 0.00533
W-07 Metal Sink – Triple Basin DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS 9.6 <0.00102

nd
2 Floor East Corridor:
Across from Rm. 201.0
W-16 Fountain 1 (N) 9.1 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.5 <0.00102 9.5 <0.00100
Human Services
West Corridor:
Fountain, south end 1 (N) 9.1 <0.00102 9.2 0.00554 9.4 <0.00102 --- DNS
W-14 Fountain, south end 2 (S) 9.0 <0.00102 9.2 0.00398 9.4 <0.00102 9.5 0.00152 Near Rm. 219.0

Near Rm. 228.0;

Sample was turbid and dark
W-12 Fountain, north end 9.2 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102
in color. Black particles
were visible.
rd
3 Floor East Corridor:

Near Rm. 328.0;

W-17 Fountain, south end 2 (N) 9.1 <0.00102 9.2 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102 9.4 0.0134 Sample was turbid and dark
in color with a slight red hue.

West Corridor:
W-15 Fountain, south end 9.1 <0.00102 9.3 0.00248 9.4 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102 Across from Rm. 303.0
Near Room 329.0
A sign was posted “Do Not
W-19 Fountain, north end 9.1 NPS 9.2 0.00194 9.5 <0.00102 9.4 <0.00102
Use” in English and
Spanish.

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.

fountain
the water

immediately
Not Sample)
The fountain
lead in them.
Circled water

found to have
fountains were

shared a single
labled DNS (Did

listed following it
in the document.
water source with
 Austin Community College: 091062-8i.190 October 20, 2010
Drinking Water Re-Sampling for Lead, Rio Grande Campus, Austin, Texas Page 5

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the following two standards:

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - The level of a contaminant in drinking water
below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety
and are non-enforceable public health goals.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in
drinking water. MCLs are set as close to MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment
technology and taking cost into consideration. MCLs are enforceable standards. There is no
published MCL for lead. Instead, the EPA uses an Action Level (AL). The action level is
15 µg/L (0.015 mg/L).

DISCUSSION
Water samples were collected from the water fountains during four separate sampling events at
ACC during the months of May, August, September, and October 2010. The sampling
procedure implemented required that unpurged, first-draw samples be collected from water
remaining in the lines for no less than 24 hours.

The results from the sampling event in August led to a change in our sampling procedure. The
concern was that taps to be sampled were used by building occupants during the 24-hour
period prior to sampling, preventing us from collecting unpurged samples at all locations. We
addressed this concern by sampling at a time when it was likely that the lines had not been
used by students, faculty or staff. It was agreed upon by Mr. Watkins and Mr. Rayburn that the
best time to achieve this goal was after 5:00 pm on Sunday afternoon. This time was chosen
because the Main building closed at 4:00 pm on Saturday afternoon and was not expected to
be reopened until Monday morning. Sampling the water fountains after 5:00 pm Sunday
afternoon allowed for the water to remain in the lines for a period of 24-hours with the least
potential for use prior to sampling.

The process of controlling the water flow of the drinking fountains provided additional
assurance that those samples were unpurged, first-draw samples. Restricted access to the
cafeteria provided assurance that premature use of the taps was unlikely. Because water used
by the ice machine is likely driven by demand, it cannot be assured that the water remained in
the line for 24-hours prior to sampling.
Anything
For the purpose of future sampling it should be noted that custodial staff were observed in the
above the
building with mop buckets suggesting the use of some water lines. Any future sampling should
MCLG or
take this observation into consideration when planning to conduct unpurged, first-draw water
PQL is
sampling.
above the
level of no
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A total of 18 water samples were collected from the Rio Grande campus in October of 2010. known or
Laboratory analysis reported 7 of these samples exceeded the MCLG or the PQL of 0.00102 expected
mg/L including 6 out of 12 water fountains. Samples collected from the cafeteria were all below risk to
the MCLG with the exception of the sample collected from the porcelain sink. None of the health.
Anything samples collected during the October, 2010, sampling event exceeded the MCL of 0.015 mg/L.
above the
MCL would These results are similar to those collected previously. Lead appears to be present, at very low
be above levels, in the pipe system. Because the concentration of lead in the water from taps in the Main
the EPA
Action Level
which would
require Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.
action.
Austin Community College: 091062-8i.190 October 20, 2010 These are
Drinking Water Re-Sampling for Lead, Rio Grande Campus, Austin, Texas Page 6 the
recommenda
Building cannot be predicted from time to time, Baer Engineering recommends that all of the tions by Bear
water sources in the Main Building be labeled as NON-POTABLE. Engineering
concerning
Individual signs should be placed over each tap and fountain. To provide occupants a safe how to deal
source of drinking water, we recommend placing drinking water dispensers at appropriate with the lead
locations in the buildings. As an alternative, it may be possible to place in-line filters into the found in the
drinking fountains and on water supply taps in the cafeteria. fountains
and sinks at
LIMITATIONS RGC.
Baer Engineering conducted water sampling for lead using industry-accepted procedures. This
report presents the analytical results of water samples collected from a series of individual
sampling events conducted on a single day. The analysis of the samples collected with respect
to the presence and amount of lead, if any, is limited to that for the discrete quantity of water
sampled at that particular location and time. Different analytical results may be achieved at
other water sources or from the same water sources at different times, due to variations in
plumbing materials and water usage patterns.

This report was prepared for the use of ACC to fulfill regulatory compliance requirements. Any
reuse of this report and the findings contained herein for other purposes shall be at the user’s
sole and exclusive risk and without liability to Baer Engineering.

Thank you for the opportunity to work on this project. Please call me if you have questions
concerning this report.

Sincerely,
BAER ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING, INC.
!

Rosemary Wyman, PG, CHMM, CPESC

Executive Vice President
Principal Geologist

Attachment: Laboratory Analysis Report

Baer Engineering and Environmental Consulting, Inc.