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SCV Water To Remove Wells From Service Following State PFAS Guideline Changes

In the coming months, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is set to voluntarily remove a number of its groundwater wells from service following a state water agency decision, officials said.

The State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water (DDW) decided to lower its response level guidelines for two chemicals found in low concentrations in drinking water across the state, according to SCV Water.

On Feb. 6, DDW lowered its response levels to 10 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 40 parts per trillion (ppt) for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), two chemicals in a family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The state’s previous response level set a combined 70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS.

Exposure to these chemicals may cause adverse health effects, according to SCV Water officials.

These response levels are some of the most stringent guidelines in the nation. For perspective, one part per trillion would be equal to four grains of sugar in an Olympic-size swimming pool.

As a result of earlier sampling, SCV Water voluntarily removed one groundwater well from service when it exceeded the prior response level in May 2019.

All other wells tested well below that level. The updated guidelines are part of DDW’s statewide effort to assess the scope of water supply contamination by PFOS and PFOA.

In addition to revised response levels, DDW has indicated it will issue a new compliance sampling order in the near future.

The revised response level guidelines will be compared to a quarterly running annual average of sample results.

“In August, we proactively sampled all wells in our system, so we have two-quarters of data we can
factor in now, giving us a head start in addressing the new guideline,” said Matt Stone, general manager of SCV Water. “We immediately removed one well from service last year when it exceeded the original response level, and we will take similar actions for additional wells that exceed the revised response level in the coming months.”

See Related: Additional SCV Water Well Found In Excess Of State PFAS Notification Level

Under the new guidelines, as many as 18 of the 44 agency wells could be impacted. SCV Water
will tackle this challenge through a combination of new operating strategies and proven treatment
options.

The first PFAS treatment facility has started construction and is expected to be in operation by June of this year, restoring three key wells to service, which represent a significant amount of the affected groundwater. The fast-tracked project is estimated to cost $6 million to build and $600,000 annually to operate.

“Today’s announcement is not about finding more PFAS in our water source, but rather implementing the revised state guideline to further protect public health,” Stone said. “In response to DDW’s announcement today, we are taking immediate, proactive steps to ensure we remain in 100 percent compliance.”

SCV Water is also expediting design and construction of new groundwater treatment facilities at
additional wells impacted by PFAS.

In the meantime, SCV Water will rely on its diverse water supply portfolio, including imported and banked water, to minimize supply impacts on customers.

However, with some groundwater wells temporarily offline, it is even more important that customers
continue to use water efficiently in their homes and on their landscapes, officials said.

“We are committed to clear and timely communication with our customers about all water quality
changes and how we plan to address them,” said Stone. “Our customers are our top priority, and
we are committed to rigorously testing our water thousands of times per year to ensure it meets or
surpasses all water-quality standards and is safe for our customers to drink.”

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manmade chemicals that are prevalent
in the environment and were commonly used in industrial and consumer products to repel grease,
moisture, oil, water and stains. Water agencies do not put these chemicals into the water, but over
time very small amounts enter the water supplies through manufacturing, wastewater discharge
and product use.

For more information and resources on PFAS, visit here.


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SCV Water To Remove Wells From Service Following State PFAS Guideline Changes

One comment

  1. I don’t get it, individual new water consuming building projects keeps getting approved. Has anyone ever heard the term “net sum total”? Apparently City Council, the Building Commission and our new water agency don’t get it as they approve in isolation.

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