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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?

We are working toward compliance with the new EPA regulations by April 2029 by conducting the required testing and evaluating potential long-term treatment solutions to ensure that we will meet the new standards by the deadline.

Yes, the EPA requires more testing to obtain a better picture of the situation and to confirm PFAS levels in the water supply. Sweetwater is required to perform quarterly monitoring for a 12-month period and will conduct quarterly tests in 2024 and 2025 to meet this requirement: October 2024, January 2025, April 2025 and July 2025.

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?

Prolonged exposure to high levels of PFAS is believed to result in negative health effects including links to liver damage, immune system impacts and certain cancers. The EPA has tightened its regulations in response to the latest understanding of the potential harm from these chemicals.

The new EPA maximum contaminant level for PFOA and PFOS, two types of PFAS, is 4 parts per trillion (ppt), which is equivalent to one drop of water in five Olympic-sized swimming pools. This is a significant reduction from the previous combined Health Advisory threshold of 70 ppt (PFOA + PFOS).

The EPA also set the maximum contaminant level for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX) at 10 ppt. Additionally, the EPA set the maximum contaminant level for a combination of PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and HFPO-DA as a hazard index of 1. The formula for the hazard index is below where [x] denotes concentration of x . None of these PFAS had prior thresholds.

You can click here to be directed to the EPA website for more information about what the agency has done over the years to track PFAS.

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?

• 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 additional 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.

Variations in PFAS levels in the testing events are common and could be attributed to seasonal changes like weather or environmental factors. These fluctuations in the testing results emphasize the importance of Sweetwater Authority obtaining two additional test results (Q3 and Q4 2025). This will provide Sweetwater Authority with the complete set of annual test results needed to accurately identify PFAS treatment and mitigation solutions.

The state and federal guidelines have changed several times in the last 10 years. We are still within the guidelines set by both state and federal authorities. The EPA's updated standards are just now being implemented, and we have until 2029 to meet the new regulations. We are taking steps now to prepare.

4. What is the difference between California’s notification level and the response level?

CA Response Level — The state has set a “response level” for PFAS in drinking water. If PFAS levels reach “response level”, the water agency is required to consider either:

• Notify the public of the Response Level Exceedance
• Utilize treatment or blending
• Take the water source offline

CA Notification Level — The state has set a “notification level” for PFAS in drinking water. Wholesale water providers are required to:

• Notify local government agencies within the service area

5. Does a changing federal administration affect these regulations? Would federal funding cuts impact PFAS treatment efforts?

As the EPA’s PFAS regulations are being challenged in court, the compliance timeline and specific requirements could shift depending on the outcome of ongoing litigation. We are monitoring these developments closely. Sweetwater Authority continues to monitor policy developments and advocate for resources to support compliance efforts.

6. Have other water agencies started this testing yet? Does Sweetwater Authority collaborate with other water agencies to share testing methods and best practices?

The EPA’s UCMR rule requires large water agencies like Sweetwater Authority to conduct monitoring for PFAS between 2023 and 2025. Some agencies have not started monitoring yet but will be required to do so under the EPA’s new regulations in 2027. More data on this will become available over time as more agencies begin their monitoring efforts.

Sweetwater Authority’s water supply is different than other agencies as the Authority has more local sources of water than other agencies in the region. Most agencies in the region are already relying mostly on imported water for their drinking water.

Sweetwater Authority does communicate with other agencies to share best practices and testing methodologies and attends trade conferences where PFAS treatment and solutions are discussed.

7. Would California set standards that are lower than the EPA standards?

California has the authority to adopt stricter standards than the EPA. However, the current detection limits may not support a substantial reduction in the threshold at this time.

8. If Sweetwater isn’t able to comply with the future EPA standards, what are the impacts?

PFAS contamination levels are currently under regulatory review, with stricter limits expected by 2029. It is anticipated that if water providers do not meet future EPA standards, they may face violations and potential penalties.