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March 6,2001 Job Number: LGO0426 Page 5 level to which water systems can reasonably be required to remove this contaminate should it occur in drinking water.' L The source of nitrate found in the well is unknown. It is possible the high level of nitrate may originated from one or several of the following sources: 1)regional nitrate plume, 2) on-site septic system, 3) local residential septic systems in the area, 4) current agricultural practices in the area, 5)past agricultural practices in the area, 6)nitrate in ditch water behind property, 7) nearby cannery waste water discharge, 8) cannery's septic system, 9) and dairy waste. The ground water flow direction is toward the east and southeast. It should be noted that ground water flow directions and gradients commonly change with the seasons and fluctuate locally during high agricultural pumping. if this is the prevailing flow direction, it could be assumed that the high levels originate upgradient(west or northwest) of the site. A file review was performed at the San Joaquin Division of Environmental Health office for the Signature Fruit Cannery formerly Tri-Valley Growers Canning facility located at 3200 E. Eight Mile Road, several hundred feet south of the site. Apparently, the cannery has capacity to discharge four(4) million gallons of processing waste water per day during canning operations to 341 acres to adjacent land. Tomato's are the primary canning product. Organic nitrogen is i present in the waste water when it is applied to land, the resulting mineral nitrate is expected to be consumed completely by planted crops and other biologic processes in the soil. The Regional Water Quality Control Board oversees Signature Fruit's discharge of waste water to land. Mr. Timothy O'Brien, Associate Engineering Geologist, California Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Region,was contacted regarding the nitrate level of the waste discharge for Signature Fruit's facility. Mr. O'Brien indicated that ttlg�Qcal,area�is affected b�a nitrate plume of unknown source or sourc . The problem has been studied and was determined 4 to be caused by_the,canner�r. Mr. O'Brien mentioned that Signature Fruit pians to operate the cannery for one more year then it will close. The level of nitrate observed in the on-site well is higher than the regional plume. w The computer records of San Joaquin County Environmental Health Division indicate that the Tri Valley Growers facility does not utilize a package treatment system to process bathroom waste. Mr. Ray Borges, San Joaquin County Environmental Health Division, ` 4 EPA, 1999,Drinking water and health,National Primary Drinking Water Regulations,consumer fact sheet on:DIBROMOCHLOROPRPOANE. Internet: http://www.epa.gov.IOGWDW/dwh/c-soc/dibromoc.httnl x o � ytSOG� r