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City of Redwood City 2025 Public Health Goal Report 2 Guidelines for Preparation of this Report The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) formed a workgroup which prepared guidelines for water utilities to use in preparing Public Health Goal reports, and these guidelines were used in the preparation of this report. Explanation of Terms PHG - Public Health Goal (PHG) is the level of a chemical contaminant in drinking water that does not pose a significant risk to health. PHGs are not regulatory standards and are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and are based solely on public health risk considerations. MCL - Maximum Contaminant Levels are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or the California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water (DDW) as the level which is required to be met in water systems. Violations of an MCL can result in a fine, abatement order, or closure of facilities. When the USEPA or DDW adopts an MCL, they consider such factors as: 1. Analytical methodologies; 2. Effectiveness of available treatment technologies; and 3. Benefits and costs. MCLG - A Maximum Contaminant Level Goals is the maximum level of a contaminant in drinking water at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons would occur, allowing an adequate margin of safety. MCLGs are non-enforceable public health goals. MCLGs consider only public health and not the limits of detection and treatment technology effectiveness. Therefore, they sometimes are set at levels which water systems cannot meet because of technological limitations. DLR - Detection Level for purposes of Reporting (DLR): Along with an MCL, a regulated contaminant also has a DLR. DDW establishes DLRs at levels that allow it to be confident about a value or quantification being reported and that most laboratories have the analytical capabilities to meet. DLRs are not laboratory-specific and cannot be changed by laboratories. In addition, DLRs do not depend on the analytical method used: thus, the availability of a new or improved analytical method does not automatically result in DLR revision. However, advancements in measuring techniques and instruments have helped many laboratories use detection limits lower than the DLRs for many contaminants in drinking water. DLRs are used by the DDW to determine compliance with MCLs. If a contaminant is found in a compliance sample at a level above its DLR, it is considered “detected.” If a contaminant’s DLR is below the PHG or MCLG, it is clear when the PHG/MCLG is exceeded. In contrast, if the DLR is above the PHG or MCLG, it might not be clear when a PHG/MCLG has been exceeded. For the latter cases, the ACWA guidelines state that a concentration reported as 9.B. - Page 10 of 27 199