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Home My WebLink AboutItem 21 - Councilmember Requested EPA Water Regulations Cl a� ORE,T Councilmember-Requested Item Report DATE June 16, 2026 TOPIC City of Santa Ana opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to rescind federal drinking water regulations and the drafting of a City ordinance requiring City Council approval of any change to City's drinking water standards and regulations. COU NCI LMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager to Direct City Staff to: (1) Draft a Letter from the City of Santa Ana Expressing Opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Proposals to Rescind Federal Drinking Water Regulations for Certain Contaminants in Drinking Water; and (2) Draft a City Ordinance to Require City Council Approval of any Change to the City's Drinking Water Standards and Regulations. DISCUSSION Numerous studies have shown that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can decrease our immunity and increase our risk for certain types of cancer, birth defects, liver disease, and kidney disease. On December 16, 1974, President Gerald Ford signed The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) into law. The SDWA is the primary federal law that is intended to ensure safe drinking water for the American public. The SDWA requires the EPA to generate scientifically based standards that apply to all water supplies that serve 25 or more customers and create a process for setting new standards. On April 10, 2024, President Joe Biden issued the first-ever national and legally enforceable Safe Drinking Water Act standard for PFAS to protect communities from exposure to harmful 'forever chemicals.' The rule sets health safeguards, requires public water systems to monitor and reduce the levels of PFAS in our nation's drinking water, and requires the notification of the American public of any exceedances of those levels. On May 18, 2026, the EPA announced major revisions to federal drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for two PFAS compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and a proposal to rescind drinking water standards for CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK Sonia R.Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA-P.O.BOX 1988,M-31 -SANTAANA, CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE(714)647-6900-FAX(714)647-6954-www.santa-ana.org Councilmember Requested Item Page 2 of 2 four additional PFAS compounds: perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), as well as Hazard Index mixtures of these three PFAS chains, plus perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). The recent proposals from the EPA threaten to increase PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, cause thousands of deaths, and cause tens of thousands of serious illnesses. The recent proposals from the EPA are also in extreme conflict with President Biden's Cancer Moonshot and its commitment to ending cancer as we know it, to Americans having access to clean, safe, drinking water, and to advancing environmental justice by protecting communities that are most exposed to toxic chemicals. The EPA will accept written comments on the proposed rules in the public docket until July 20, 2026, and it is important for the City of Santa Ana to express opposition to the EPA's proposals that threaten the quality and safety of our city's and our nation's drinking water. Currently, the State of California has drinking water requirements and standards that exceed those of the EPA. The recent proposals from the EPA have demonstrated that government requirements and standards for drinking water can change and even diminish. The City of Santa Ana has won awards for having the world's best-tasting, highest-quality tap water, and we need to take action to enact City regulations to protect our communities from exposure to toxic chemicals in our City's precious drinking water. Adoption of an ordinance that would codify the requirement for City staff to bring any proposed change in the standard of quality and safety of our City's drinking water to the City Council for public review and scrutiny and approval by the City Council before implementation would allow our City to protect our City's drinking water in spite of changes to federal and state regulations and standards. I therefore request that the City Council direct the City Manager to direct City staff to: (1) draft a letter from the City of Santa Ana expressing opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to rescind federal drinking water regulations for certain contaminants in drinking water and (2) draft a City ordinance to require City Council approval of any change to City's drinking water standards and regulations. SUBMITTED BY Councilmember Phil Bacerra EXHIBIT 1. Draft Letter to the EPA CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK Sonia R.Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L. Hall 20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA-P.O.BOX 1988,M-31 -SANTAANA,CALIFORNIA 92702 TELEPHONE(714)647-6900-FAX(714)647-6954-www.santa-ana.org MAYOR , CITY MANAGER Valerie Amezcua ;.<?``,°' Alvaro Nunez MAYOR PRO TEM CITY ATTORNEY David Penaloza Sonia R.Carvalho COUNCILMEMBERS CITY CLERK Phil Bacerra ,� Jennifer L. Hall Johnathan Ryan Hernandez . Jessie Lopez , Thai Viet Phan Benjamin Vazquez CITY OF SANTA ANA PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY 20 Civic Center Plaza• P.O.Box 1988 Santa Ana,California 92702 www.santa-ana.org June 17, 2026 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Re: Opposition to Proposed Rescission of Drinking Water Regulations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and Hazard Index Mixtures — Docket No. EPA-HQ-OW-2025- 0654 Dear Administrator and EPA Staff: On behalf of the City of Santa Ana, California, I respectfully submit this letter opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rescission of drinking water regulations for perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX chemicals), and Hazard Index mixtures involving these compounds. The proposed action would eliminate enforceable federal drinking water standards for contaminants that have been identified as presenting significant risks to human health. The City of Santa Ana has made a substantial commitment to protecting public health through the planning, design, construction, and operation of advanced treatment facilities intended to remove PFAS compounds from drinking water. These investments reflect our responsibility to provide safe, reliable, and high-quality drinking water to the residents and businesses we serve. While we recognize the EPA's stated intent to revisit the regulatory process, the proposed rescission creates uncertainty for water systems and undermines the progress that communities across the nation have made in addressing PFAS contamination. Public water agencies require stable and predictable regulatory standards to effectively plan long-term infrastructure investments, secure funding, and maintain public confidence in the safety of drinking water supplies. The removal of established standards, even temporarily, risks sending the message that protections against known contaminants are no longer a national priority. SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL Valerie Amezcua David Penaloza Thai Viet Phan Benjamin Vazquez Jessie Lopez Phil Bacerra Johnathan Ryan Hernandez Mayor Mayor Pro Tem-Ward 6 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 Ward 5 yamezcua(O7santa-ana.orq dpBnalOZa(C�santa-ana.orq tphamo)Lnta-ana.orq bvazgueZ(C�isanta-ana.orq iessielopez(C7santa-ana.orq pbacerra(O7santa-ana.orq rvanhemandeZ(@santa-ana.orq The City is particularly concerned about the potential impact on public trust. Residents expect drinking water regulations to be based on the best available science and to provide consistent protection against contaminants that may increase the risk of cancer and other adverse health outcomes. Efforts to weaken or rescind existing standards may create confusion among the public and erode confidence in drinking water systems that are already investing significant resources to address these contaminants. Santa Ana remains committed to removing PFAS from its water supplies and, regardless of changes at the federal level, our city will continue advancing treatment projects necessary to protect public health. However, local efforts are strengthened when supported by clear and enforceable federal standards that establish a consistent baseline of protection for all communities. For these reasons, the City of Santa Ana respectfully urges the EPA to withdraw the proposed rescission and maintain enforceable drinking water protections for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and Hazard Index mixtures while continuing to evaluate emerging scientific information and regulatory approaches. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on this important matter impacting our nation's drinking water resources. Sincerely, Rodolfo Rosas, P.E. Acting Executive Director of Public Works City of Santa Ana cc: Mayor and City Council City Manager l SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL Valerie Amezcua David Penaloza Thai Viet Phan Benjamin Vazquez Jessie Lopez Phil Bacerra Johnathan Ryan Hernandez Mayor May Pro Tem-Ward 6 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 Ward 5 yamezcua(O7santa-ana.orq d,.n.1r. C�santa-anaArq tphamo)Lnta-ana.orq bvazgueZ(C�isanta-ana.grq iessielopez(C7santa-ana.orq pbacerra(O7santa-anaArq IfvanhamandeZ(g�santa-ana.orq