Fountain Valley receives 2025 public health goals water quality report; system meets MCLs though some contaminants exceed non-enforceable PHGs

The City of Fountain Valley—s water system meets all enforceable state and federal drinking-water standards, but five contaminants exceeded non-enforceable public-health goals, Water Production Supervisor Duck Nguyen told council during a public hearing on the 2025 public health goals report.

Nguyen said the city samples for roughly 180 contaminants per year and that PHGs (public health goals) are health-risk-based targets that are not enforceable in the same way as maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). He identified five contaminants that exceeded PHGs during 2022—24: hexavalent chromium, uranium, PFOS/PFOA (perfluoroalkyl substances), lead and total coliform. Nguyen emphasized that the system remains below the enforceable MCLs and stated no corrective regulatory action was required.

He noted the technologies available to lower concentrations to PHG levels include reverse osmosis, ion exchange and activated carbon, and said reducing all levels to PHGs would cost an estimated $70 million per year — roughly $4,000 per customer — if pursued systemwide. For now, staff recommended receiving and filing the report; no regulatory exceedances of MCLs were reported.

Nguyen and councilmembers also discussed PFAS testing and microplastics; Nguyen said microplastics are not included in the PFAS results and that PFAS values were below MCLs at monitored sites.

The hearing was opened and closed with no speakers requesting further comment; the council received and filed the report.