PHG Reports Due by July 1, ACWA Guidance Available by ACWA Staff Jun 8, 2022 Water News Public water systems with more than 10,000 service connections must prepare a brief, written report by July 1 that provides information on the detection of any contaminants above the Public Health Goals (PHGs), which are published by the state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). ACWA distributed an April 19 Advisory that included a guidance document, developed by ACWA, intended to assist water suppliers in completing the required reports. Member login is required to access the guidance document. In preparing the report, public water agencies must also list the detection of any contaminant above the Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for all other contaminants until such time as OEHHA has published PHGs for those contaminants. State regulators emphasize that the report needs only to provide information on the number of contaminants that a water system has found at a level exceeding a PHG or a MCLG. Required every three years, the report is necessary to satisfy requirements of California Health and Safety Code Section 116470(b). This particular reporting requirement is unique to California. It requires reports that are in addition to the extensive public reporting of water quality information that California water utilities have been submitting for many years, as well as in addition to the federally mandated Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs). For questions about Public Health Goals reporting requirements, please contact ACWA Regulatory Advocate Nick Blair.
