Agenda Item
City Council
Item #: 10.1. 6/14/2022 File #: 22-0270
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Rob Houston, City Manager
FROM: Christopher Cash, Public Works Director
1. SUBJECT
Public Hearing presenting the Public Health Goals Report for Years 2019, 2020, and 2021.
2. SUMMARY
The Public Health Goals (PHGs) Report is a California mandated report for all water agencies to explain in plain language, information about the presence of contaminants in the drinking water supply detected at levels above Public Health Goals published by the State Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment during calendar years 2019, 2020, and 2021.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Open and close the Public Hearing to accept and respond to public comment on the report.
2. Receive and file.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
None.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 1: Provide for a safe community
b: Provide and maintain infrastructure necessary to ensure the safety of the public.
Goal 4: Provide outstanding public service
b: Provide facilities and services to meet customer expectations.
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) establish very stringent water quality standards for domestic drinking water systems. These standards are based on various risk-assessment factors and are expressed in terms of an allowable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for every regulated contaminant. The MCL is the regulatory definition of what is “safe”and they are strictly enforced. Water agencies are required to take specific actions to notify consumers and to mitigate the problem if an MCL is exceeded. The City of Orange water system consistently meets all federal and state drinking water MCL standards.
California also establishes Public Health Goals (PHGs) for drinking water systems. The federal equivalent to PHG’sare called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs). PHGs and MCLGs are not enforceable standards and water agencies are not required to take any actions regarding them.
These goals are not based on a comprehensive risk assessment analysis. Instead, they are set to only represent a contaminant level that would result in either zero health risk or “nosignificant”health City of Orange Printed on 6/9/2022Page 1 of 2
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Item #: 10.1. 6/14/2022 File #: 22-0270
only represent a contaminant level that would result in either zero health risk or “nosignificant”health risk for a lifetime of exposure. Determinations of health risks at these low levels are theoretically based on risk assessments with many assumptions.
California legislation requires water agencies to prepare a special report every three years if their water exceeds any PHG or MCLG. The report must identify all contaminants in excess of a PHG, the public health risks involved and a general estimate of the costs that would be involved in removing the contaminants in order to meet the goals. The purpose of this report is to provide consumers with additional information on the contaminant levels and to furnish information about the cost to eliminate even small traces of contaminants from the water supply.
All of the water quality data collected in 2019, 2020, and 2021, for the purposes of determining compliance with drinking water MCL standards, was considered for the purposes of this report. This data is summarized annually, in the Consumer Confidence Report that is available to all customers every year.
As indicated previously, the City of Orange water system complies with all federal and state MCL standards. The City of Orange water supply from wells and imported sources meets all of the PHG and MCLG standards with only four exceptions during the last three years:
• Gross (Total) Alpha Activity (Excluding Uranium) was detected in three source water samples (wells) from not detected to 8.09 pico Curies per liter (pCi/L). The MCL is 15 pCi/L. The EPA MCLG is zero.
• (Natural) Uranium was detected in ten source water samples (wells) from 1.05 to 9.07 pCi/L.
The MCL is 20 pCi/L. The PHG is 0.43 pCi/L. The EPA MCLG is zero. • Hexavalent Chromium was detected in nine source water samples (wells) from 0.24 to 1.32 parts per billion (ppb). The MCL is 10 ppb and the PHG is 0.02 ppb. • Perchlorate was detected in one source water sample (well) from 2.4 ppb to 2.80 ppb. The MCL is 6 ppb and the PHG is 1 ppb.
In all, the City of Orange water system continues to meet and comply with all federal and state MCL standards to protect public health.
7. ATTACHMENTS
· PHGs Report for Years 2019, 2020, and 2021
City of Orange Printed on 6/9/2022Page 2 of 2
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