1 MEMORANDUM
DATE: June 23, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Dawn Roth Lindell, General Manger, Burbank Water and Power BY: Richard Wilson, Assistant General Manager - Water
SUBJECT: Notification to Council of Exceedance of Response Level for Perfluorohexane Sulfonic Acid (PFHxS) in Groundwater Sources
RECOMMENDATION
On June 21, 2023, BWP learned that PFHXS was detected at one of our eight wells at a concentration that exceeded the response level established by the Division of Drinking Water (DDW). BWP recommends that City Council be notified immediately of the exceedance of the response level for PFHxS in one of our eight untreated groundwater wells. PFHxS was removed by our treatment process and was never detected in
BACKGROUND
PFHxS is one chemical in a large class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are widely used, long lasting chemicals that break down very slowly over time . This class of chemicals are
used in numerous commercial products to offer water and stain-repellent properties and in fire-fighting foams. They do not occur naturally. These compounds persist in the environment and in biological organisms. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify City Council of the exceedance of the response level for PFHxS as established by the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) and to outline the public notification
requirements.
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2 DISCUSSION
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 116378 that governs the monitoring of PFAS, Burbank Water and Power is required to inform City Council of concentrations of PFAS that exceed the response level in our drinking water sources.
The response level for PFHxS is greater than 20 parts per trillion (ng/L). 1 The sample results for PFHxS were 23 parts per trillion (ng/L).
PFHxS has existed in our groundwater for quite some time and we began monitoring for it beginning in 2019 before the response level was established. We were required to begin reporting exceedances of the response starting October 31, 2022, and this is the first time that one of our wells exceeded the response level for PFHxS.
It is important to note that the response level exceedance was for raw (untreated) water samples and PFHxS was removed by our treatment plant and was never detected Therefore, no additional steps are required
because our treatment process removes PFHxS from the water.
Actions
1. Although no additional steps are required, the well for which the sample exceeded the response level was immediately taken out of service and will remain out of service until we meet with DDW on June 29, 2023 to ensure that these new monitoring and notification requirements are clearly understood. We will inform council when the well is restarted. When it is placed back into service, PFHxS continues to be removed by our treatment process and remains undetectable in the treated water and it is safe to drink.
2. After meeting with DDW, but before July 21, 2023, the attached draft public notice will be:
o Mailed to all customers receiving a bill;
o Sent by email to all customers with known email addresses; o
o Published in a local newspaper and/or on social media
3. Burbank treatment plant removes numerous contaminants from our groundwater wells including PFHxS. Although the treatment process is effective at removing PFAS, the treatment plant received its operating permit many years before PFAS were identified as a contaminant. We are working with State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water (SWRCB-DDW) to amend our operating permit to include the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from our groundwater sources so that the existing treatment methods and sampling regimens for PFAS are included in our permit.
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3 1Response levels are concentrations of a contaminant in our drinking water sources (in this case, our groundwater) for which DDW may recommend additional steps, beyond notification requirements, to reduce exposure to the contaminant. Response levels are established in conjunction with notification levels for contaminants that may be considered candidates for establishing maximum contaminant levels (i.e., legally enforceable limits), but have not yet undergone or completed the regulatory standard setting process prescribed for the development of maximum contaminant levels and are not drinking water standards.
cc: Javier Martinez, Manager, Production and Operations Nareh, Ghevondian, Water Quality Analyst
Armand Canyon, Acting Marketing Manager
Sean Aquino, Assistant General Manager Customer Service
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