Office of Senator McNerney (D-05) SB 1313 Factsheet Last Updated: 04/06/2026
THIS BILL
PFAS are toxic substances used in
thousands of commercial products. They
are also known as “forever chemicals,” and
have been found in water systems serving
at least 25.4 million Californians. In 2024,
the U.S. EPA established minimum safety
standards for certain PFAS in drinking
water. Removing PFAS from a water
system is costly, and likely to be borne by
ratepayers through higher water rates.
SB 1313 would help public water systems
remove PFAS from drinking water and
prevent water rate increases by making
PFAS-related projects eligible to receive
more state funding.
ISSUE
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances,
commonly referred to as PFAS or forever
chemicals, are used in everyday products
such as nonstick cookware, fabrics,
cleaning supplies, and more. The
widespread use of PFAS since the 1940s
and the difficulty in cleaning up the
chemicals makes removing them from the
water systems extremely costly.
In 2024, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) issued new
regulations relating to six different PFAS
commonly found in drinking water. These
regulations set enforceable federal
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for
public health, require public water systems
to monitor PFAS contamination, and require
public water systems with contamination
levels above the healthy level to implement
PFAS reduction efforts. While the EPA
anticipates the annual cost of this mandate
to be approximately $1.5 billion nationwide,
this is believed to be a significant
underestimation. Other estimates project
costs to be nearly $40 billion in capital
investments with additional annual
operating costs of $2.7 billion to $3.5 billion.
Without alternative funding sources, local
water agencies will be forced to cover these
cleanup costs, which will likely be passed
on to ratepayers through higher water rates.
In California, there is a State Revolving
Fund (SRF) for water quality and drinking
water; Safe Drinking Water SRF. This SRF
helps public water systems finance the cost
of water projects and ensure access to
clean and safe drinking water for all
Californians. However, despite PFAS being
a pervasive contaminant in water systems
across the state, PFAS-related projects are
not explicitly eligible to receive financial
assistance through Safe Drinking Water
SRF.
SOLUTION
SB 1313 would clarify that PFAS clean-up
projects are eligible to receive financial
assistance through the Safe Drinking Water
SFR.
SUPPORT
League of California Cities (Sponsor)
City of Buena Park
City of Lakewood
City of Pico Rivera
City of Sacramento
City of Ventura
CONTACT
Lauren Winn
Office of Senator Jerry McNerney
Senate Bill 1313
PFAS Free Water
Senator Jerry McNerney (SD 5)
Office of Senator McNerney (D-05) SB 1313 Factsheet Last Updated: 04/06/2026 (916) 651-4005 | [email protected]