Sweetwater Authority adds PFAS to legislative policy guidelines, community advisory group to focus on PFAS outreach

The Sweetwater Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday to amend its legislative policy guidelines to include support for funding and legislation related to emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.

The change, proposed by legal counsel and explained to the board by Assistant General Manager Lehi Yano, adds explicit language under the policy section on contaminants to support “legislative and other funding opportunities related to emerging contaminants, for example, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” The board approved the amendment without recorded opposition.

The amendment is intended to give staff guidance when rapid legislative developments arise during the state session so staff can act within board policy without returning for a separate directive. General Counsel Nick Norvell provided the proposed PFAS wording for the guidelines.

Board members also directed the board’s Community Advisory Working Group (CAWG) to make PFAS the next priority topic for that group’s meetings. The CAWG — an advisory body that meets monthly — had previously considered several topics; directors said they wanted the working group to concentrate on PFAS ahead of the Authority’s February public outreach events on the contaminant. The board clarified the packet omissions and asked staff to correct meeting summaries and to coordinate CAWG timing with the Authority’s February PFAS outreach.

The board’s roll call on the policy vote recorded “aye” from Directors Castaneda, Cox, Delgado, Martinez, Martinez Perez, Morrison and Yamani.

Why it matters: PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been the focus of increasing regulatory and public scrutiny. By adding PFAS to the Authority’s legislative guidelines and asking the CAWG to focus on the topic, the board is positioning the agency to pursue funding and to coordinate community engagement as regulatory and testing results are released.

Board directions and next steps include staff correcting missing CAWG attachments in the packet, aligning CAWG meetings with the Authority’s February PFAS outreach, and using the new policy language to guide staff responses to legislative activity.

Staff and speakers: Assistant General Manager Lehi Yano presented the policy recommendation; General Counsel Nick Norvell offered the PFAS language. The vote was taken after brief questions from directors.