Sweetwater Authority (Authority) is hosting a series of public workshops to help educate customers on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are man-made chemicals that can be found in common household items. The Authority will also review recent testing results conducted in accordance with the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that go into effect in 2029. These meetings will be conducted throughout the Authority service area in Bonita, Chula Vista and National City in January and February 2025.
“We want to assure our customers that the Authority water is safe to drink,” stated the Authority General Manager Carlos Quintero. “We are hosting these workshops as an opportunity for our customers to connect with us directly to learn more about PFAS, the new EPA regulations and what steps we are taking to plan for future changes in regulations.”
In April 2024, the EPA issued a new federal National Primary Drinking Water Standard for six types of PFAS, which requires public water systems to perform initial monitoring by 2027 and to meet new thresholds for contaminants in water, known as maximum contaminant levels, by April 2029. While conducting required monitoring in October 2024, The Authority detected a small amount of two PFAS substances in water treated from Sweetwater Reservoir that exceeded the level for public notification.
The levels do not require any treatment response at this time.
The initial results found by the Authority are one of four data points needed to get a better picture of the situation and potential solutions. The Authority will conduct three more quarterly tests in January, April and July 2025 to help obtain a full picture and confirm the exact levels of PFAS in the water supply.
In an effort to be transparent and proactive, the Authority has launched a public outreach campaign that began in December 2024 with its first public workshop and educational information for rate payers.
Four more community workshops are planned this year that will provide the opportunity for customers to ask questions and learn about:
- Recent EPA updates in PFAS regulations and testing thresholds
- PFAS testing results from the Authority’s water supply
- Steps the Authority is taking to determine the source of PFAS
Long-term mitigation and funding strategies
“It is of the utmost importance for us to be transparent with our customers,” continued General Manager Carlos Quintero. “We highly encourage members of the public to attend these workshops so we can discuss this complicated topic together.”
Upcoming workshop dates
- Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, 5 to 7 p.m.: The Authority will dedicate its January 2025 Community Advisory Work Group meeting to PFAS education at the Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility located at 3066 N 2nd Ave, National City, CA 91950. The agenda will be posted on Sweetwater’s website in advance of the meeting.
- Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: National City Library: 1401 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950
- Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Chula Vista Public Library Civic Center Branch: 365 F St., Chula Vista, CA 91910
- Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, 5:45 to 7:45 p.m.: Bonita-Sunnyside Library: 4375 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902
What are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products for their water-resistant, heat-resistant and non-stick properties. PFAS are found in everyday items like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging and more.
How you can get involved
- Attend a public workshop
- Call our dedicated PFAS education phone line at (619) 409-6786 with any questions and a staff member will contact you as soon as possible.
- Email your questions to PFAS@sweetwater.org and a staff member will contact you as soon as possible.
- Sign up for regular 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
- Visit PFAS education webpage at www.sweetwater.org/PFAS to learn more.