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PFAS have been detected in the Orange County Groundwater Basin managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD), which provides 77% of the water supply to 2.5 million people. OCWD and its local water suppliers continue making significant headway on new PFAS treatment facilities with the goal of getting all wells back online by 2024 at a capital cost of $277 million.

5,796,889,290 gallons

of water treated

to date

*as of 8/30/2022

There are 59 impacted wells in Orange County

Fullerton's Kimberly 1A Treatment Facility Marks 1 Year Anniversary

The Kimberly 1A facility has produced 1.16 billion gallons of treated water during its one year of operation, which is an average of 3.18 million gallons per day.

OCWD & Yorba Linda Water District Dedicate Nation’s Largest Ion Exchange PFAS Treatment Facility

Located at YLWD headquarters in Placentia, the PFAS Treatment Plant is capable of treating up to 25 million gallons of water per day at YLWD’s 10 impacted wells.

Watch the dedication recap video.

OC Water Provider Highlight

The City of Garden Grove had five wells impacted by PFAS, prompting it to temporarily shut down those wells and transition to purchasing more expensive imported water. This made construction of treatment facilities a priority for Orange County Water District and the City.

Well 21 located at West Haven Reservoir was the first of the City’s facilities to be designed and built.

Read the press release.

Ensuring Water Quality in Garden Grove Video

Learn more about Garden Grove’s approach to PFAS by watching the video above.

Make Your Voice Heard!

OCWD has created a platform – through its PFAS Education Center - to help you take action in reaching out to the Orange County federal legislators about the importance of upholding the polluter pays principle and protecting ratepayers from the costs of treating PFAS in our water supplies.

You can quickly and easily fill out this form encouraging legislators to exempt water and wastewater agencies from PFAS liability and include an exemption in any future legislation.

STATE & FEDERAL ACTIONS

The State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water (Division) proposed a 2 parts per trillion (ppt) notification level and a 20 ppt response level for PFHxS based on a recommendation from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).

The proposed notification and response levels, the OEHHA recommendation, and links to the studies are available at the Division’s website.

EPA has established interim updated lifetime drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS and final lifetime drinking water health advisories for GenX and PFBS.

PFOA - 0.004 (interim)

PFOS - 0.02 (interim)

GenX - 10 (final)

PFBS - 2,000 (final)

EPA is developing proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for PFOA and PFOS. A proposed rule in Fall 2022 and a final rule in Fall 2023 are expected.

EPA’s drinking water health advisories for PFOA, PFOS, PFBS and GenX can be found on their website. Additional PFAS are being evaluated and may be addressed as groups.

EPA is proposing to designate PFOA and PFOS, including their salts and structural isomers -- as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund. Notification of Designation available here and on the EPA website.

Read the EPA press release here.

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

ACWA PFAS Fact Sheet

UCI PFAS Health Study

OCWD PFAS Fact Sheet

PFAS Legislative Priorities Fact Sheet

AWWA PFAS Briefing

EPA PFAS Fact Sheet

National Academies

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) supplies clean, reliable drinking water to 2.5 million customers 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.