JB Water Distillers

Diana Balazs and Ofelia Madrid
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 17, 2008 12:00 AM

Paradise Valley residents and some in a part of Scottsdale were told Wednesday not to drink their tap water.

A water-treatment plant for Arizona American Water malfunctioned Tuesday, possibly sending elevated levels of TCE, or trichloroethylene, into the water supply, said company spokesman Todd Walker.

TCE is a colorless liquid solvent and suspected carcinogen used primarily to remove oil and grease from metal parts.

The company began notifying its 4,750 households Wednesday afternoon through an automated phone system. Customers were told not to drink or use the tap water for food preparation until 5 p.m. Friday.

Instead, customers are being urged to pick up free bottled water at 6215 N. Cattle Track Road and at Paradise Valley Town Hall, 6401 E. Lincoln Drive.”I’m not pleased. I have animals that need fresh water,” said Cherly Frost, one of nearly two dozen Paradise Valley residents who lined up late Wednesday at Town Hall to receive 2-gallon jugs of fresh water. “We’ve got filtered water at home, but don’t think we can use that either.”

Water samples were sent to a lab to test water quality Wednesday afternoon, and the company expects test results back as early as today, Walker said.

“Arizona American Water will begin notifying customers as soon as we are confident that the water meets our quality,” Walker said.

A similar incident happened in November, when Arizona American was notified that samples from its Miller Road/McDonald Drive treatment facility in Scottsdale, collected Oct. 15, showed levels of TCE at 9.2 parts per billion, nearly twice the allowable federal limit. Excessive amount of TCE did not reach customers’ taps, the company said.