On February 6, 2020, under the authority of the Deputy Director of the Division of Drinking Water (DDW), California issued updated drinking water response levels of 10 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 40 parts per trillion for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) based on a running four-quarter average. These response levels supersede the August 2019 response levels, but do not change the current notification levels.
Notification levels are nonregulatory, health-based advisory levels established for contaminants in drinking water for which maximum contaminant levels have not been established. Notification levels are established as precautionary measures for contaminants that may be considered candidates for establishment of maximum contaminant levels but have not yet undergone or completed the regulatory standard setting process prescribed for the development of maximum contaminant levels and are not drinking water standards. Assembly Bill 756 (codified as Health and Safety Code section 116378) provides for new reporting and notification requirements for detections of perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively, PFAS). Detected levels of PFAS substances that exceed their response level shall require a community water system or a nontransient noncommunity public water system to either take a water source out of use, treat the water delivered, or provide public notification.
State Water Board establishment of a notification level or response level is not subject to the Administrative Procedures Act.
For more information on the PFOA and PFOS notification levels please visit: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/PFOA_PFOS.html
For more information on the Water Boards investigation into PFAS and AB756 implementation please visit: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/pfas/ or the AB756 FAQ at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/pfos_and_pfoa/pfas_ab756_factsheet.pdf.
If there are any questions on this, please email us at PFAS@waterboards.ca.gov.