The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of the California Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the release of a draft document for public review describing proposed Public Health Goals (PHGs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water.
A PHG is the level of a 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 considered by the State Water Resources Control Board in setting drinking water regulatory standards (Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs) for California.[3]
The technical support document, posted on the OEHHA website (https://oehha.ca.gov/water), presents the scientific information available on the toxicity of PFOA and PFOS, and the calculation of the proposed PHGs. The proposed PHG of 0.007 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA is based on kidney cancer in humans and the proposed PHG of 1 ppt for PFOS is based on liver and pancreatic tumors in laboratory animals. The proposed PHGs are set at a level of risk of one additional cancer case per one million persons exposed over a lifetime. The draft document also presents health-protective drinking water concentrations for noncancer health effects. The proposed noncancer health-protective concentrations are 3 ppt for PFOA, based on increased risk of liver damage in humans and 2 ppt for PFOS, based on increased total cholesterol in humans.
The public comment period for the draft document begins July 30, 2021 and ends September 28, 2021. The public is encouraged to submit written comments 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 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 September 28, 2021 to be considered.
The Office will hold a virtual public workshop on September 28, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Information about the webinar can be found on the OEHHA website at https://oehha.ca.gov/water.
Pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 57003, the workshop is provided to enable a dialogue between OEHHA scientists and the public to discuss the scientific basis of the proposed PHGs, and to receive comments. After the closure of the comment period, OEHHA will submit the draft risk assessment for external scientific peer review.[4]
Following the workshop, public comment period and external scientific peer review, OEHHA will evaluate all the comments received, revise the document as appropriate, and make it available for an additional 30-day public comment period. After any subsequent revisions, the final document will be posted on the OEHHA website along with responses to the external peer review comments and to major comments received at the workshop and during the two public comment periods.
OEHHA is subject to the California Public Records Act and other laws that require the release of certain information upon request. If you provide comments, please be aware that your name, address, and e-mail may be available to third parties.
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. Written inquiries should be sent to:
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
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
California Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 4010, MS-12B
Sacramento, California 95812-4010
Attention: PHG Program