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Page 9 <br />Copper and Lead <br />Standards for lead and copper are called “Action Levels” instead of MCLs. If a system exceeds an Action Level, it must take <br />certain actions such as additional monitoring, corrosion control studies and treatment, and for lead, a public education program. <br />The information in the following table can be found in 22 CCR §64678 (California Action Levels and DLRs), OEHHA’s website <br />(California PHGs), 40 CFR §141.80 (U.S. EPA Action Levels), and 40 CFR §141.51 (U.S. EPA MCLGs). The values in this <br />table are in units of micrograms per liter (µg/L). <br />Contaminants <br />California U.S. EPA <br />Action <br />Level <br />Action Level <br />Effective Date DLR PHG PHG Date Action <br />Level <br />Action Level <br />Effective Date MCLG <br />Copper 1,300 1995-12-11 50 300 2008 1,300 1991-11-06 1,300 <br />Lead 15 <br />50 <br />1995-12-11 <br />1977 <br />5 0.2 2009 15 <br />50 <br />1991-11-06 <br />1977-06-24 <br />zero <br />Treatment Techniques <br />A treatment technique is a required process intended to reduce contaminant levels in drinking water, safeguarding public <br />health. Rather than setting specific limits on contaminant concentrations, the treatment techniques below focus on the <br />processes used to ensure protection from contaminants: <br />·Coliform: If a water system finds coliform bacteria (which indicate the presence of harmful microorganisms), they must <br />assess and fix any issues in actions called Level 1 and Level 2 assessments. <br />·Viruses: Systems must treat groundwater to remove or inactivate at least 99.99% of viruses using methods like <br />disinfection. They must monitor and correct any issues within hours if they fail to meet these standards. <br />·Cryptosporidium: For surface water or groundwater influenced by surface water, system must treat to remove or <br />inactivate a parasite called Cryptosporidium, which involves special filtration and disinfection processes. <br />·Disinfection Byproducts: Systems have several options for treatment techniques to reduce the levels of disinfection <br />byproducts (total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), haloacetic acids (HAA5), bromate, and chlorite). <br />·Acrylamide and Epichlorohydrin: Water systems that use certain chemicals in the treatment process must certify that <br />the chemical levels are kept below safe limits. <br />Secondary Standards <br />Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) provide water quality standards related to aesthetic aspects of drinking <br />water, such as taste, odor, and appearance. Though not directly linked to health risks, SMCLs play a crucial role in maintaining <br />9.B. - Page 25 of 27 <br />214