Modesto accepts 2025 Public Health Goals report; staff says meeting PHGs would cost $51 million annually
Summary
The council accepted the city's 2025 Public Health Goals report for drinking water; staff noted the city meets regulatory MCLs but estimated about $51 million per year in operations would be needed to lower constituents to the non‑enforceable PHG levels.
The City of Modesto accepted its 2025 Public Health Goals (PHG) report for the municipal water system at the Dec. 9 council meeting after a presentation from Manuel Martinez, Water Division Manager.
Martinez explained PHGs are health‑based, non‑binding goals developed by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and are distinct from maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), which are regulatory standards enforced by state and federal agencies. "PHGs are based on public health risk considerations and are not required to be met by any public water systems," Martinez said.
Staff told the council Modesto's drinking water meets all state and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency MCLs. Martinez said the estimated additional annual operations and maintenance cost to reduce certain constituents to PHG levels would be approximately $51,000,000 (operations only) and that capital costs were not included in that figure. He added that two wells with detections above regulatory limits had been taken offline and that staff pursues options including rehabilitation or blending with treated surface water.
Council members asked follow‑up questions about whether the city planned to act to meet PHGs; staff reiterated PHGs are informational and that meeting them would impose a substantial cost on ratepayers. Public commenters asked about PFAS and tracking which wells are offline and which populations may be affected; staff offered to provide follow‑up contact information for detailed technical responses.
A resolution accepting the 2025 PHG report was approved by unanimous roll call.
