The State Water Resources Control Board updated its guidelines in 2019 for local water agencies to follow in detecting and reporting the presence of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in drinking water. These compounds are within the PFAS family of chemicals used extensively in consumer products such as carpets, clothing, furniture fabric, food packaging, nonstick cookware, and firefighting foams.
Since 2019, after the State Water Board announced the updates, the City has been notifying affected customers of the presence of PFOS and PFOA in the drinking water as required by law but has not had to shut down any of the City’s wells due to the fact that the levels detected were still within the limits of safe deliverable water.
Like many area Cities and Water agencies, City officials have been working diligently to find solutions to eliminate this chemical in the City’s water supply.
In July 2020, the City adopted a Water Master Plan that addressed water quality and treatment needs, including the treatment of PFOS and PFOA chemicals. Later that year, the City took the first significant steps when it awarded the design contract for a water treatment system for all its water treatment facilities.
The construction of the PFAS Filtration Systems at Well 5, and Water Plants 1 and 2, are now substantially completed. Water Well 5 is fully functional, providing PFAS-free filtered water to Pico Rivera Water Authority Customers. The systems at Plants 1 and 2 should be fully operational before the end of the year.
“The health and wellness of our residents is of the utmost importance to our Administration,” said City Manager Steve Carmona. “We took immediate action and we were able to complete this water project for the benefit of our residents.” The project was funded through grants from the Office of Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, and the Water Replenishment District.
To commemorate this milestone in the Water Master Plan, City officials hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Water Plant 1 earlier this month, beginning the next phase of water treatment in the City.
“I would like to express my gratitude for the dedicated work carried out by our staff through the various phases of this project,” said Carmona.
While this project is complete, the City will continue its efforts to meet and exceed State requirements and deliver PFAS-free water to Pico Rivera Water Authority customers with another filtration system installation at Water Plant 3. The planned construction of PFAS filtration systems at Water Plant 3 will begin as early as
Summer 2025.
