Water

OEHHA performs major risk assessment and hazard evaluation activities relating to chemical contaminants in drinking water. These activities include developing health advisories, Public Health Goals for chemical substances in drinking water, Notification Levels, and providing toxicological assistance for chemical monitoring activities for the drinking water supply. The program also provides education to the public and other governmental agencies on drinking water contamination and drinking water regulatory standards development.

Public Health Goals

Level of a chemical contaminant in drinking water that does not pose a significant risk to health

Notices

Legal notices for Public Health Goals and Notification Levels

Notification Levels

Health-based advisory levels for chemicals in drinking water

Reports

Reports focusing on water

Human Right to Water

OEHHA’s assessment framework and data tool related to drinking water quality, accessibility, and affordability

Reports, Notices, Documents

August 23, 2019: Notification Level Recommendations for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is recommending that the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) set the notification levels (NLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at the lowest levels at which they can be reliably detected in drinking water using currently available and appropriate technologies.

March 29, 2019: Announcement of First Public Comment Period for the Draft Technical Support Document on the Proposed Update of the Public Health Goal for 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane

The PHG technical support document, available for download below, provides 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.

February 7, 2019: 2019 Health Risk Information for Public Health Goal Exceedance Reports

This document contains health risk information on regulated drinking water contaminants to assist public water systems in preparing these reports. A PHG is the concentration of a contaminant in drinking water that poses no significant health risk if consumed for a lifetime. PHGs are developed and published by OEHHA (Health and Safety Code Section 116365) using current risk assessment principles, practices and methods.

November 16, 2018: Extension of Public Comment Period for Proposed Public Health Goals for Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water and Public Workshop Agenda

The comment period will now close on January 4, 2019.

October 5, 2018: Announcement of Availability of a Draft Technical Support Document for Proposed Public Health Goals for Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water

OEHHA is announcing the release of a draft document for public review describing proposed Public Health Goals (PHGs) for the four regulated trihalomethanes (THMs) found in drinking water as a result of disinfection methods: chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane.