PFAS Update:

California Lowers Notification Levels for PFOA, PFOS

On August 23rd the State Water Resources Control Board released public notice of updated Notification Levels (NLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water. The Water Board’s decision to lower NLs for these “forever chemicals” was not unexpected, but did generate some concern over unintended consequences of the plan. The new NLs are set at 5.1 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and 6.5 ppt for PFOS. There has been no change to the Response Levels (RLs) for these contaminants. The original media release from the Water Board is as follows:

“The State Water Resources Control Board today announced updated guidelines for local water agencies to follow in detecting and reporting the presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water. The Board also announced it has begun the process of establishing regulatory standards for these chemicals.

The updated guidelines are part of the Board’s comprehensive effort to assess the scope of contamination of drinking water supplies by PFOA and PFOS, chemicals that have been widely used in grease and stain-resistant coatings for consumer products and in firefighting foams. Because of their potential adverse health effects, these chemicals pose an emerging risk to drinking water sources nationwide.

The updated state guidelines lower the current notification levels from 14 parts per trillion (ppt) to 5.1 ppt for PFOA and from 13 ppt to 6.5 ppt for PFOS. The guidelines are based on... read more.

Public Notice:

Harmful algal blooms made it into mainstream news this month following the death of dogs that reportedly that came into contact with the toxic blue-green algae that commonly grows in lakes and ponds during hot summer months.

The recent canine deaths and warning signs posted near water bodies from North Carolina to California demonstrate that current conditions are ideal for rapid cyanobacterial growth.

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are naturally occurring components of freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. While algae and cyanobacteria provide aquatic communities with many benefits, as the old saying goes, “everything in moderation.” Under certain conditions, these organisms can grow rapidly causing “blooms.” Blooms become problematic because algae and cyanobacteria also produce harmful compounds, such as cyanotoxins and aroma compounds, which pose serious and even fatal health risks to humans and animals. When blooms threaten human and environmental health, they are referred to as harmful algal blooms (HABs).

Clean Water Funding:

In response to Governor Newsom’s signing of SB 200 establishing the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, the State Water Resources Control Board authorized use of $241.5 Million for a program aimed at addressing California’s current drinking water quality challenges. As the Water Board’s media release states:    

“The State Water Resources Control Board today authorized spending nearly a quarter billion dollars to help local water systems provide safe, reliable drinking water to communities throughout the state and begin closing the safe drinking water gap for more than one million Californians.

“Communities across the state have struggled for far too long without access to safe drinking water,” said State Water Resources Control Board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. “With today’s action, we can begin to close this gap and ensure that the essential human right to safe and affordable water is provided to all Californians.”

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