OCWD Management Area
products, and fire-fighting foams. Beginning in the summer of 2019, the California Division of Drinking Water (DDW) began requiring testing for PFAS compounds in some groundwater production wells in the OCWD area. In February 2020, the DDW lowered its Response Levels (RL) for PFOA and PFOS to 10 and 40 parts per trillion (ppt or nanogram/L, ng/L), respectively. In March 2021, DDW established a third PFAS RL for perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) at 5,000 ppt. The DDW recommends the public water systems not serve any water exceeding the RL – effectively making the RL a de facto interim MCL while the state undertakes the formal process to set an enforceable MCL. In response to DDW’s issuance of the revised RL, as of September 2021, approximately 60 wells in the OCWD service area have been temporarily turned off until treatment systems can be constructed. As additional wells are tested, this figure may increase. The state has begun the process of establishing MCLs for PFOA and PFOS; in July 2021, the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released draft Public Health Goals (PHGs) for PFOA and PFOS or 0.007 ng/L and 1 ng/L, respectively, for public comment. After the PHGs are finalized, DDW will formally begin developing corresponding MCLs and currently anticipates issuing a final MCL by 2023 or 2024. OCWD anticipates the MCLs will be set at or below the RLs. In April 2020, OCWD as the groundwater basin manager, executed a multi-party agreement with the impacted groundwater producers to fund and construct the necessary treatment systems for production wells impacted by PFAS compounds. The PFAS treatment projects include the design, permitting, construction, and operation of PFAS treatment systems for impacted production wells. Each well treatment system will be evaluated for use with either granular activated carbon (GAC), ion exchange (IX), or an alternative novel sorbent for the removal of PFAS compounds. These treatment systems utilize vessels in a lead-lag configuration to remove PFOA and PFOS to less than 2 ppt, the current laboratory detection limit. These PFAS treatment systems are designed to ensure the groundwater supplied by producer wells can be served in compliance with current and future PFAS regulations. The groundwater producers will own the treatment systems once they are completed. With financial assistance from OCWD, the groundwater producers will operate and maintain the new treatment systems once they are constructed. To minimize alternative water supply expenses and provide maximum protection to the public water supply, OCWD initiated design, permitting, and construction of the PFAS treatment projects on a schedule that allows rapid deployment of treatment systems. As of September 2021, construction contracts have been awarded for treatment systems for production wells owned by the cities of Orange (Phase 1), and Garden Grove, Serrano Water District, and Yorba Linda Water District. The City of Anaheim has also awarded a design-build contact (phase A) for 8 impacted wells, that will be reimbursed by OCWD. The City of Fullerton’s well KIM-1A treatment system has been completed and is in operation. Additional construction contracts are anticipated to be awarded for impacted wells operated by the cities of Fullerton (Main Plant), Orange (Phase 2), Santa Ana, Tustin, Irvine Ranch Water District and East Orange County Water District by early 2022. OCWD expects the treatment systems to be constructed for the approximately 60 impacted wells within the next 2 to 3 years.
BASIN 8-1 ALTERNATIVE 2022 UPDATE
Management Area Description 3-24
Appendix F - 104
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