April 15, 2014
CDPH Releases Final Chromium-6 Regulation Package
Nation’s First Drinking Water Standard for Hexavalent Chromium to Take Effect as Early as July 1
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today released the final proposed regulation package for chromium-6, setting the stage for the nation’s first drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium to take effect as early as July 1.
CDPH submitted the regulation package to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). The regulation will take effect after it has been reviewed and approved by OAL in compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act. This review can take up to 30 working days. Once approved, the regulation is then filed with the Secretary of State and will become effective the first day of the following quarter, which in this case could be July 1.
The proposed regulation establishes a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for hexavalent chromium – chromium-6 – at 10 parts per billion (ppb). More than 18,000 comments were received by CDPH regarding the proposed regulation which was released for circulation in August. The proposed final regulation documents include a summary and response to comments received.
Today’s filing of the regulation package with OAL complies with timelines imposed by the Alameda Superior Court in Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. California Department of Public Health.
The department’s submission to OAL can be found on the CDPH website.
Water agencies in California are currently required to meet CDPH’s MCL for total chromium of 50 ppb. This existing MCL is one-half the federal MCL for total chromium of 100 ppb. The Department’s proposed hexavalent chromium MCL, once final, will be the first primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium promulgated by any state or federal agency.
ACWA is actively engaged on this issue and provides resources on our website for use by our member agencies in communicating with the public about this proposed new standard. If you have questions please contact Adam Walukiewicz, ACWA regulatory advocate, at adamw[at]acwa.com or call 916-441-4545.
