As State Rolls Out PFAS Plans Montara Water First to Find the Ubiquitous PFAS “Forever Chemicals” in Two Older Wells for Pillar Ridge Manufactured Home Park (Wells Turned Off)

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VIDEO. From Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) Director’s meeting on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 at 7:30pm, as a hybrid meeting.

MWSD General Manager, Clemens Heldmeier, reports.

 

Staff Report

Receive Report Concerning PFAS Sampling

 

BACKGROUND

Under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA or EPA) has the authority to set enforceable National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for drinking water contaminants and require monitoring of public water systems.

 

On April 10, 2024, the US EPA announced final NPDWRs for six chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (jointly known as PFAS). PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s because of their many useful properties. One common characteristic of concern of PFAS is that many break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations across the nation and the globe. Under this new rule public water systems will have three years to complete the initial monitoring requirements. If found, public water systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water to levels below the standards within five years.

 

MWSD’s Actions and Results

Earlier this year, Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD or District) elected to proactively sample and analyze all of its then active groundwater sources before the State of California deadline of 2025. The sources were sampled for PFAS in March 2024 and the analytical results were received by the District on April 8, 2024. Raw water from one of the active sources, Corona Well, was found exceeding the response level for PFAS. The Corona well and adjacent Pillar Ridge wells were immediately taken offline after the analytical results were received on April 8, 2024. The analytical results are presented below.

 

Additionally, MWSD has notified the State regulatory body, California Division of Drinking Water about the exceedance.

 

The adjacent Culebra well was offline and undergoing scheduled maintenance at the time of sampling. The District recently was able to sample raw water from Culebra well, however, the results have not yet been received at the time of this report preparation.

 

In the following weeks, MWSD will be assessing treatment and replacement options for the Corona well. These options may include PFAS removal treatment, blending treatment, new source exploration, and others.

 

Various manufacturers were sued in a class action PFAS lawsuit brought on behalf of water systems across the country. Recently, the court approved settlements involving two large PFAS manufacturers: 3M and DuPont. These settlements resolve claims for PFAS contamination in system supplies, such as the Corona well. The District’s Board chose to participate in the class action lawsuit and the District expects to receive settlement funds that will assist in remediating PFAS found in our well source.

 

 

MWSD April Newsletter

Pillar Ridge Well Testing Identified Elevated Levels of PFAS in Two Well Sources Under New Drinking Water Regulation.

In March, MWSD took proactive action to examine our water supply sources given the expected issuance of new national drinking water standards related to PFAS. Testing results received on April 8th and May 2nd, 2024 showed elevated levels of PFAS in two of the three wells serving the Pillar Ridge community.

 

All wells serving Pillar Ridge were immediately isolated and residents have been receiving drinking water from MWSD sources confirmed to be below these new regulatory limits.

 

New PFAS Regulations

On April 10, 2024, the US EPA announced final National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for six PFAS chemicals. Under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA has the authority to set enforceable NPDWRs for drinking water contaminants and require monitoring of public water systems. Under this new rule public water systems will have three years to complete the initial monitoring requirements.

In CA, PFAS test results must be included in annual water quality reports (Consumer Confidence Reports) issued each year by July 1st. Public water systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water to levels below the standards within five years.

Treatment solutions are available and MWSD is assessing the appropriate treatment solution for the two well sources.

 

MWSD Awaiting Class Action Settlement Funds

Given the origin of PFAS from industry and consumer products, a class action lawsuit on behalf of water systems across the country was filed against various manufacturers. Recent court approved settlements involving two large PFAS manufacturers, 3M and DuPont, resolve claims for contamination in system supplies, such as these wells. MWSD is awaiting settlement funds which will fund the necessary well source treatment.

Additional PFAS information is available online:

CA Division of Drinking Water: www.waterboards.ca.gov/pfas/

US EPA: www.epa.gov/pfas

 

What Action Should Consumers Take?

Residents receiving this message do not need to take any action. The Pillar Ridge community is no longer receiving water from the identified source wells. All Pillar Ridge wells regardless of their PFAS test results have been isolated and water is being supplied to you from sources verified to be within the new drinking water standard.

 

What are PFAS? More Info at: www.epa.gov/pfas

PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s because of their useful properties. There are thousands of different PFAS, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others.

One common characteristic of concern of PFAS is that many break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at
locations across the nation and the globe.

Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.

Additional information available at: www.epa.gov/pfas

 

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More on PFAS on Coastside Buzz

 

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More on MWSD on Coastside Buzz

 

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Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) Meetings ~ 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 7:30pm