The State of California State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water (“Division”) entered Order No. DW 2020-0003-DDW titled:
General Order Requiring Monitoring for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (“Order”)
The Division’s Order requires California water systems to monitor for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (“PFAS”) substances.
The Order was issued pursuant to the authority of California Assembly Bill 756 which had been approved by the California Governor on July 31, 2019. It is codified as Health and Safety Code section 116378 and authorizes the Division to require public water systems to monitor for PFAS substances, in accordance with conditions set by the Division.
PFAS consist of a large group of man-made chemicals that include perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate, and GenX chemicals.
PFAS properties include resistance to heat, water, and oil. They have been described as persistent in the environment and resist degradation.
Potential human exposure to PFAS includes pathways through drinking water, air or food.
Exhibit A of the Division’s Order provides requirements such as:
- Frequency of sampling,
- Use of certain laboratories,
- Definition of a positive finding,
- Confirmation sampling,
- Reporting requirements, and
- Requirements if water enters a distribution system exceeding a response level
A copy of the documents can be downloaded here.
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