PFAS Education

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Sweetwater Authority is committed to keeping you informed about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, which are man-made chemicals found in common household items that can make their way into water sources. PFAS is a widespread issue that water providers globally are working to address due to its prevalence in society.

PFAS Explained 

Why am I hearing about PFAS? 

The State of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are implementing new regulations to address PFAs in drinking water. Recent state and federal regulatory changes require water providers, including Sweetwater Authority, to increase monitoring efforts by 2027 and comply with new standards by 2029. Sweetwater Authority is committed to transparency and solutions to ensure safe drinking water for its customers.

PFAS Monitoring and Initial Test Results- Sweetwater Reservoir  

  • Late 2024 testing detected PFAS at Sweetwater Reservoir at levels that required public notification but not immediate action.
  • The most recent tests in early 2025 show PFAS at response levels, requiring either notification, treatment, blending with other water sources, or taking affected sources offline. The most recent test results are available in this presentation on pages 18-20.
  • Sweetwater Authority will complete two additional quarterly tests in 2025 to fully assess PFAS levels and determine appropriate long-term solutions. Moving forward, the Department of Drinking Water (DDW) will allow Sweetwater Authority to take an average of the quarterly test results to provide the full annual average. As soon as information is available, we will share those results with customers.
  • All Sweetwater Authority drinking water currently meets state and federal safety standards.

What is Sweetwater Authority doing now? What comes next?

The health and safety of our customers is our top priority. Upon receipt of the testing results, Sweetwater Authority has taken immediate and proactive action by preparing a comprehensive outreach and education campaign, which is designed to share consistent, transparent updates to our customers in real time. We’ve also taken steps to make short term progress, while planning for long-term solutions in the future.

What can you do?

Customers may have concerns about water safety and personal water use and minimizing PFAS risk, after hearing about the updated testing results. Because PFAS is so widespread in our environment, it makes it hard to completely avoid them. The EPA has developed resources for ways to reduce PFAS risk, Steps to Reduce PFAS Risk. If customers decide to purchase water filters for drinking water, the EPA has developed recommendations in their latest fact sheet. Tips include:

  • Look for filters that specifically remove PFAS through reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters.
  • Check the labels for NSF/ANSI Standard 53 and 58 certifications.
  • Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and regular filter replacement to ensure optimal performance.

PFAS public outreach/community workshops

In an effort to be transparent and proactive, Sweetwater launched a public outreach campaign in December 2024 which continue through December 2025. In early 2025, community workshops were held in National City, Chula Vista and Bonita.

Other ways to get involved

  • Share your support: Email us at PFAS@sweetwater.org stating your support for protecting our water supply by taking action against the companies that caused the PFAS that contaminated our water. This information will be shared with local, state and federal policy makers.
  • Phone: Call us at our dedicated phone line with questions or concerns at (619) 409-6786.
  • Email: Email us at PFAS@sweetwater.org with questions or concerns.
  • Sign up for regular PFAS education updates: To sign up for PFAS education updates: 
    • Visit www.sweetwater.org/list.aspx 
    • Type your email address in the box and select "Sign In".
    • To subscribe for PFAS education alerts, select the “PFAS Education” list under “Notify Me”.
    • To confirm your subscription, click the link in the confirmation email from noreply@sweetwater.org.
Infographic of how customers can get involved regarding PFAS

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are PFAS and where do they come from? How did PFAS end up in our water? Why are we hearing about it now?
  2. We have several sources of water in Sweetwater Authority service area: the reservoirs, the wells, and the desal plant? Are they all affected by this?
  3. Who is responsible for PFAS contamination? Is Sweetwater Authority pursuing legal action against the manufacturers of PFAS?
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  1. What is Sweetwater Authority doing to comply with the new EPA standards? Does Sweetwater Authority need to conduct additional testing?
  2. Why is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updating PFAS standards? What is the new threshold for PFAS? How does it compare to the old threshold? When does Sweetwater Authority need to comply?
  3. What were the most recent testing results? Why would there be a fluctuation between the testing results? Why didn’t Sweetwater Authority detect this sooner?
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  1. What are the known effects of having PFAs in your water?
  2. What actions could community members take to minimize exposure to PFAS? What home filtration options are available for community members concerned about PFAS exposure?
  3. Does Sweetwater Authority sample water all the way to customer taps? Is there any way for homeowners to have their water tested for PFAS at home?
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  1. What Sweetwater Authority is doing to address PFAS now? What is the long-term solution?
  2. What technologies or treatments are being considered as solutions
  3. Will Sweetwater switch to a different water source temporarily? If blending is used as a mitigation measure, where does the additional water come from? Where does the blending occur?
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  1. What are the costs of imported water when compared to the Perdue Water Treatment Plant?
  2. If Sweetwater Authority invests in long-term treatment, how would costs be allocated? What is the immediate cost of imported water to offset PFAS impacts? Would customers bear the expense?
  3. How much does it cost for an individual PFOA test? Is there EPA funding available to cover this?
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  1. How will Sweetwater Authority notify renters, who may not receive Sweetwater Authority materials about PFAS education?
  2. When will the public receive testing results? If quarterly workshops stop, how will updates be shared? How will all customers stay informed on PFAS testing?
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