1. Home
  2. Water
  3. Announcement of Second Public Comment Period fo...

Announcement of Second Public Comment Period for the Draft Technical Support Document on the Proposed Updates of the Public Health Goals for Cis-/Trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene in Drinking Water

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the availability of the revised draft technical support document for the proposed updates of the Public Health Goals (PHGs) for cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-/trans-1,2-DCE) in drinking water.  The document proposes updated PHGs of 13 parts per billion (ppb) for cis-1,2-DCE and 50 ppb for trans-1,2-DCE.

OEHHA initiated a 45-day public comment period on the first draft document on August 4, 2017, and held a public workshop on September 18, 2017.  Subsequently, an external scientific peer review of the draft PHG document was conducted pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 116365(c)(3)(D).  OEHHA has revised the draft document based on public and peer review comments.  The revisions include additional clarifying statements but did not change the proposed updated PHGs.  

OEHHA is soliciting comments on the revised draft technical support document, available for download below, during a 30-day comment period.  The public is encouraged to submit written information via OEHHA’s website, rather than in paper form.  Comments may be submitted electronically through the following link https://oehha.ca.gov/comments.  Hard-copy comments may be mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered to the address below.  Any written comments concerning this draft PHG document, regardless of the form or method of transmission, must be received by the PHG program by 5:00 p.m. on July 2, 2018 to be considered.  OEHHA will evaluate all the comments received and revise the document as appropriate.  After any subsequent revisions, OEHHA intends to post the final document on its website along with responses to the major comments submitted during the external scientific peer review and the public comment periods.

PHG technical support documents provide information on the health effects of contaminants in drinking water.  The PHG is a level of drinking water contaminant at which adverse health effects are not expected to occur from a lifetime of exposure.  The California Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996[1] requires OEHHA to develop PHGs based exclusively on public health considerations.[2]  PHGs published by OEHHA are used by the State Water Resources Control Board in setting California’s drinking water standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs).[3]

If you would like to receive further information on this announcement or have questions, please contact Hermelinda Jimenez at PHG.Program@oehha.ca.gov or at (916) 324-7572.

Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Branch
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
California Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 4010, MS-12B
Sacramento, California 95812-4010
Attention: PHG Program

Downloads

Footnotes and References

[1] Codified at Health and Safety Code, section 116270 et. seq.

[2] Health and Safety Code section 116365(c)

[3] Health and Safety Code section 116365(a) and (b)