In the Pipeline:
State & Federal PFAS Updates
by Allison Mackenzie, CEO
 Making State and National news, there is no doubt that PFAS is top of mind for water experts and consumers alike. To provide you with an updated snapshot of the many moving parts of this complex issue, let’s take a look at what’s currently in the PFAS pipeline:
CA State Board Plans to Lower Notification and Response Levels
The State Water Resources Control Board’s (State Board) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) had planned to lower the Notification Levels (NLs) and Response Levels (RLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as early as this month. However, some water experts, including the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), have expressed concern over unintended consequences of the plan.
In a comment letter to the State Board, ACWA stated that lowering the NLs and RLs would erode the “public’s confidence in the safety and quality of our state’s drinking water sources” as the public “will expect water agencies to provide drinking water only below DDW’s established Response Levels since DDW recommends that water systems remove sources from service if contaminants are detected at concentrations above those levels.” ACWA estimates that at least 30% of water systems would be unable to test below the proposed lower NLs and RLs for PFOA and PFOS despite... read more.
|
This month Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, which aims to improve access to safe drinking water for residents in disadvantaged communities. Approximately 1 million Californians currently lack access to safe drinking water, the vast majority of whom live in small rural communities that rely on private drinking water wells or poorly maintained water systems contaminated by harmful constituents such as arsenic, nitrates, and 1,2,3-TCP. 
It is challenging for any sample technician or operator to take a valid sample without first understanding the “why” and “how” behind the drinking water sample. Proper drinking water sampling requires thorough training, extensive knowledge, appropriate resources, and up-to-date techniques. These elements are vital if an organization wishes to maintain scientific integrity and receive quality, legally defensible data from its laboratory. 
