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PFAS have been detected in very tiny amounts (parts per trillion) in parts of the Orange County Groundwater Basin managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD), which provides 85% of the water supply to 2.5 million people. PFAS are a family of chemicals that have been used in a multitude of industries and consumer products. Recent state and federal regulations have placed strict limits on the occurrence of these chemicals in the drinking water supply. OCWD and its local water suppliers continue making significant headway in constructing new treatment facilities to remove PFAS from our groundwater. The estimated cost of addressing PFAS in Orange County over the next 30 years is approximately $1.8 billion.

86,296,658,861

gallons of water

treated to date

*as of 1/31/26

PFAS IMPACTS IN ORANGE COUNTY

============================================================================================================

100+

wells impacted

wells back online

impacted retailers

Federal Updates

USEPA Submits Proposed PFAS Regulations to Office of Management and Budget

In late February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) submitted two proposed PFAS drinking water rules to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget. The two proposed rules were:

Rescission of Regulatory Determinations and Removal of Related Provisions for Four PFAS Substances (PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and the mixture of these three PFAS plus PFBS), known collectively as the Hazard Index PFAS
Extending the Compliance Deadline for the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Rulemaking

In early March, USEPA also submitted a new version of its Interim Guidance on PFAS Destruction and Disposal. OIRA review occurs before proposed rulemaking is published in the Federal Register for public comments, and focuses on cost-benefit analysis while also coordinating comments from other federal agencies.

OCWD to Speak at Congressional Briefing

OCWD General Manager John Kennedy will be among the speakers at "PFAS Policy and Practice: The Role of Local Government and Essential Public Services". The briefing, held March 23 in Washington DC and attended by congressional staff, will focus on the need for liability protection for water and wastewater utilities.

John will speak to the importance of these industries not being held liable under CERCLA "Superfund" law for cleaning up pollution they did not cause. John will also advocate for legislative exemption to protect public utilities.

State Updates

ACWA Working on Cost of Compliance and Treatment Study

The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is developing a PFAS Cost of Compliance and Barrier Report, which will provide insight into the economic burdens faced by water agencies as they strive to meet regulatory standards. Results from the survey will be shared with federal and state policy makers. ACWA's goal is to secure support and resources from policy makers when they are developing regulatory frameworks and determining funding.

Local Updates

Steady Progress on PFAS Treatment Infrastructure

Since construction of PFAS treatment systems began, 53 of 106 impacted Orange County drinking water wells are back online, 17 are under construction, and 36 are in planning or design stages. Of those wells currently under construction, the following are expected to be operational this year:

May - Fullerton 07A
June - Santa Ana 38
June - Buena Park Linden
August - Fullerton Kimberly 2

October - Fullerton 05
October - Fullerton 06
November - Garden Grove 19
December - Santa Ana 31

Orange County water agencies take seriously the duty to provide reliable high-quality drinking water, and will continue to meet all state and federal drinking water standards and regulations.

Vessel formwork and footing are installed at the Fullerton Main Plant

Ion exchange vessels are delivered to Santa Ana Wells 27 and 28

A contractor places booster pump piping connections at Santa Ana Well 31

OCWD Brings PFAS Know-How to the World

OCWD continues to lead the way as a recognized leader in the national and international PFAS conversation, with recent months bringing a notable string of accomplishments for the District.

Board President Denis Bilodeau spoke on the panel "PFAS Disruption: Innovation for Shared Remediation" at the World Water-Tech Innovation Summit in London. The forum provided an opportunity to share how OCWD is responding to a complex water quality challenge through a coordinated, forward-looking approach that has positioned the District as a leader in California and on a global scale.

Executive Director of Engineering and Water Resources Chris Olsen was named one of Engineering News-Record's 2025 Top 25 Newsmakers. Chris was recognized for his leadership in coordinating with OCWD’s cities and retail water districts and for guiding the design and construction of multiple PFAS treatment facilities, including two of the largest PFAS treatment projects in the United States, located at the Yorba Linda Water District and city of Anaheim.

OCWD recently hosted the webinar, "Advancing PFAS Management: Progress, Lessons, and Tools for Retail Agencies," The discussion, led by Ryan Bouley, director of engineering, and Andrew Huang, senior lab analyst/data scientist, highlighted progress in OCWD’s PFAS program, including coordinated work with retail water agencies and countywide well restoration efforts.

In the News

PFAS are not exclusive to Orange County or even California. States across the country are in the midst of tackling PFAS in consumer products, groundwater supplies and other forms of contact. Here's what's happening around the country:

Resources

SWRCB PFAS Updates

UCI PFAS Health Study

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) supplies clean, reliable drinking water to 2.5 million people every day. OCWD and the local water suppliers in its service area are committed to operating in compliance with all state and federal guidelines and regulatory requirements.

For more information about PFAS, please visit OCWD's PFAS Education Center.