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WTD briefs RWQC on PFAS: county testing, EPA draft assessment and coordination with Ecology
Summary
King County Wastewater Treatment Division updated the committee on the U.S. EPA draft PFAS risk assessment, ongoing biosolids testing, state permit requirements and multi‑pronged response including source control and litigation to address PFAS costs.
The Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) briefed the Regional Water Quality Committee on Jan. 16 about recent developments on per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including a U.S. EPA draft risk assessment and King County’s ongoing biosolids testing and interagency coordination.
WTD’s director told the committee the EPA released a draft risk assessment earlier in the week on two PFAS types often discussed as PFOS and PFOA and their presence in biosolids. The director said King County “applaud[s] the EPA’s efforts” and is “eager to contribute our King County science and data” to the national evaluation.
The director said King County has been testing its biosolids for PFOS and will “be fully transparent with the results.” He also described coordination with the Washington State Department of Ecology, which oversees biosolids land‑application requirements, and noted WTD had a recent renewal of a biosolids general permit. WTD staff said the division has monitoring and pretreatment requirements in place in some MPDS permits and is working to prevent PFAS from entering the wastewater system through source control and pretreatment efforts.
The director added the county is participating in litigation to seek producer accountability to help avoid or reduce costs to ratepayers. He characterized the response as “multi‑pronged” and said the work will require aligned effort across the regional system, including public education for biosolids users such as farmers and foresters.
Committee members asked no substantive questions at the time; WTD said it will continue to brief the committee as EPA’s process and state regulatory responses evolve.
No regulatory or operational changes were adopted at the meeting; WTD framed the briefing as informational and as an early step in interagency and national engagement on PFAS science and policy.
