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ACCEPT THE 2016 PUBLIC HEALTH GOALS REPORT
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council conduct a Public Hearing to accept and respond to public comment on the 2016 Public Health Goals Report. At the conclusion of the Public Hearing, it is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to accept the 2016 Public Health Goals Report and authorize the City Manager to take appropriate and necessary actions to carry out the purpose and intent of the motion.
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Summary
The City of Stockton Municipal Utility Department’s Water Utility is required by law to prepare a Public Health Goals Report every three years. In addition, the City Council is required to accept and respond to public comment at a Public Hearing after completion of the report. This report provides information on the Water Utility’s water quality as it compares to State Public Health Goals (PHGs) and Federal Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs). PHGs and MCLGs are different from and exceed the treatment standards requirements of the Water Utility’s permit. The Water Utility continues to meet the federal and state regulatory requirements for the delivery of clean drinking water.
In accepting the report, the Council would acknowledge that contaminants were found in the City’s water system above the goals during calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015, and conclude that no action is necessary because the drinking water quality meets all of the California Water Resources Control Board and United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards set to protect public health.
DISCUSSION
Background
Provisions of the California Health and Safety Code Section 116470(b) specify that public water systems with more than 10,000 service connections must prepare a special report that gives information on the detection of any contaminants above the PHGs, published by the State Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and MCLGs, set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The triennial 2016 Public Health Goals Report (Attachment A) discusses how water quality found in drinking water, supplied by the Water Utility in calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015, compares to State PHGs and Federal MCLGs levels.
The USEPA and the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Division of Drinking Water (DDW) also establishes Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) at very conservative levels to provide protection to consumers. Unlike the PHGs and MCLGs, the adopted MCLs are the water quality criteria for all water systems and are enforceable. The 2016 Public Health Goals Report discusses how the City’s water quality compares to enforceable MCLs as well as the PHGs and MCLGs.
In accordance to Health and Safety Code §116470 (c), the 2016 Report is required to be accepted by City Council at a Public Hearing as soon as possible after July 1st.
The 2016 Report is also required to discuss available treatment technologies and estimated costs to the Water Utility’s customers to reduce constituent levels below the PHGs or MCLGs.
The requirement to report on treatment goals that exceed water quality treatment standards is unique to California. The Public Health Goals report is required in addition to the extensive public reporting of water quality information that California water utilities have been doing for many years and are in addition to the annual Consumer Confidence Reports.
Present Situation
The 2016 Report lists contaminants found in the City’s water system detected above PHGs and/or MCLGs during calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015. The list of contaminants are Total Coliform Bacteria, Radionuclides including Gross Alpha Particle Activity and Uranium, Arsenic, Hexavalent Chromium, and Bromate. All the aforementioned contaminants are below the established MCLs. Therefore, the City’s water system remains in compliance with the regulatory MCL standards for clean drinking water.
Costs to construct and maintain treatment facilities to lower contaminant levels to below PHGs and MCLGs total approximately $80 million annually, and range from $129 to $1,313 per service connection per year. However, the effectiveness of the treatment technologies to reduce contaminant levels to achieve the goals is uncertain. Even if the treatment technologies could reduce contaminants to the goal level, the health benefits of these further reductions have not been quantified.
The 2016 Report concludes that the City’s drinking water quality meets all State of California, State Water Resources Control Board, and United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards set to protect public health. Therefore, no action is proposed at this time.
The 2016 Report is required to be accepted by City Council at a Public Hearing as soon as possible after July 1st. The 2016 Report is posted on the City’s website and copies were made available for public review at City offices. The Public Hearing was noticed in The Record on August 12, 2016.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
There is no financial impact associated with this action.
Attachment A - 2016 Public Health Goals Report