As we welcome the end of an unprecedented year and prepare to welcome 2021, we would like to reflect on some of the key industry topics of 2020 that will likely provide clues to the issues and challenges our industry is sure to experience in the New Year.

January: WOTUS Protection Roll Back   

2020 began with the Trump administration announcing intentions to roll back wetland protections, significantly weakening the current set of regulations protecting small streams and wetlands from pollution. Given the possibility that 2 out of 3 of California’s freshwater streams could be endangered by this federal policy change, California regulators acted to strengthening protections of wetlands and streams in the state.  

February: Division of Drinking Water  

In February, against the concerns of many public water systems, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) changed the Response Level (RL) for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) to 10 parts per trillion (ppt) and Perfluorooctanoic Sulfonate (PFOS) to 40 ppt. According to California law (Assembly Bill 756 enacted in 2019), if a water system receives a SWRCB order for testing and finds the PFOA or PFOS concentration exceeds the RL, the system is required to take the water source out of service, provide treatment, or notify their customers in writing.

March: COVID-19 Hit the Nation & Caused California to Shut Down

Instead of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, as many people normally would have, Californians were ordered to stay at home, and essential businesses had to adapt and react quickly to new, evolving regulations regarding COVID-19. Babcock Labs took prompt action, ensuring that laboratory testing continued without interruption. Throughout this unprecedented year, we have continued to provide the essential services that protect the public health and the environment.

Under Phase I of the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) investigation, quarterly monitoring of at-risk water supply wells came to an end in March 2020, while the landfill PFAS testing continued to wrap-up. Publication of PFAS occurrence data was eagerly anticipated in the regulatory community. Meanwhile, site-specific questionnaires and work plans for the Chrome Plating industry were all due by March 31, 2020, following an extension from the October 2019 deadline.

April: The Safety of California’s Treated Wastewater & Recycled Water was Questioned.

In April, the SWRCB affirmed the assertion by sanitation experts that current treatment plant disinfection processes successfully disinfect wastewater containing the COVID-19 virus. The environmental industry was reassured to find that California’s treated wastewater and recycled water is safe from the COVID-19 virus.

 May: EPA Helps Fund Wastewater Treatment Plant Near Us

On May 28, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced a $196 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Inland Empire Utilities Agency in San Bernardino County, California. According to the media release, “the loan will help finance expanded wastewater treatment capacity to support public health and the environment in this growing community.”  

June: Life in Plastic: Determining Microplastics in Drinking Water

To encourage public water system awareness and in an effort to comply with regulations, the SWRCB issued a press release regarding microplastics in drinking water. The Board had been ordered in Senate Bill 1422 to establish a definition of microplastics by July 1st, 2020. The bill, which passed in 2018, will further require the Board to adopt a method of analysis for the determination of microplastics, accredit laboratories to perform the method, and establish the framework for a four-year drinking water study to collect data by July 1, 2021.

July: California Slowly Opens, is it safe?

As California slowly opened back up, people needed to be aware of other hazards that may have been lurking in their stagnant water of their abandoned plumbing. Presence of the bacterium, Legionella, represents one such potential threat posed by idled plumbing. The CDC and DOA released guidelines for reopening after lockdown to help prevent a Legionella outbreak. Businesses were strongly encouraged to get their water tested and treated if necessary, before opening.

August: Wildfire Effects on Water Quality

By August, our state was in the throes of the most destructive fire season on record. At that time Cal Fire had already documented over 1.4 million acres burned so far in 2020, which was more than the devastating 1,018,827 acres burned in August 2018. In addition to the tragic consequences wildfires pose for people, wildlife, structures, and firefighters, Babcock Labs wanted to bring attention to the costly aftereffects on water quality. Water quality consequences can be both short- and long-term, as wildfires increase the costs associated with water treatment to remove impurities and the need for alternative supplies, as well as diminish reservoir capacity.

September: PFAS Awareness & Workshop

Babcock Labs held its first virtual Technical Environmental Analytical Meeting (TEAM) in September. During the virtual workshop, Babcock staff reviewed the PFAS Phase III Investigation Orders, discussing in detail various sampling approaches, analytical methods, lab accreditation, and reporting requirements with the POTW representatives in attendance. At Babcock Labs we continuously look for ways to provide greater value to our clients and promote education in the environmental community, which is why during normal years we try to hold multiple educational seminars and trainings on various industry topics. Look for the return of quarterly TEAM events, virtual or otherwise, in 2021.

October: California’s Weather Forecast for the Winter Months

While California needs a normal rainy season to ease drought conditions, it looks like Mother Nature may have other plans. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted California will have a La Niña event expected to last all winter. Current data predicts an 85% chance of La Niña conditions throughout the winter with a 60% chance of continued conditions through February and April. The impact of a La Niña winter may also differ between the state’s north and south. According to Mercury News, only 10 out of the last 22 La Niña winters recorded below-average rainfall within the Bay Area, however in Southern California, 15 out of 22 La Niña winters brought below-average rainfall. Although the exact results of a La Niña winter may vary, experts predict the phenomenon will exacerbate droughts in Southern California and the American Southwest.

November: Your SoCal Tap Water, Think Outside the Bottle

As Southern California returned to the purple tier due to rising Coronavirus infection rates, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) reminded Southern California residents to ‘think outside the bottle’. Earlier in the year bottled water sold out in many locations resulting in shortages stemming from public fear. SAWPA stressed the important fact that, “The water that flows from our faucets is clean, fresh and safe. From sourcing to treatment, our tap water is held to the highest standards – but unfortunately, some people still believe the misconception that bottled water is safer than tap water.” Babcock Labs agrees that consumers can save themselves time and money while helping to protect the environment from unnecessary plastic pollution by getting a reusable water bottle and filling it up from the tap.

December: Relocation of Babcock Laboratories’ Imperial County Location

Babcock Laboratories, Inc. is pleased to announce the relocation of our service center in Imperial County. Effective December 14th, 2020, Babcock Laboratories, Inc. will be conveniently located in El Centro and will occupy a clean, modern, and easily accessed facility on 1550 Pepper Drive. We will continue to follow our current Imperial County operating hours and sample drop off time-windows until further notice. We are pleased to have found a more permanent home for our satellite facility in Imperial County.

It has been quite a year! Babcock Labs wishes you and yours happy holidays filled with loved ones, good health, and cheer. See you next year!