On Thursday, August 22, 2013, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) published notice of a draft Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 ppb (µg/L) for hexavalent chromium. The MCL proposal is higher than the 0.02 ppb public health goal adopted by OEHHA in 2011, but is significantly below the existing California MCL, in existence since the 1970s, of 50 ppb for total chromium and the current federal MCL for total chromium of 100 ppb. CDPH will seek public comment on the draft hexavalent chromium MCL between August 23 and October 11, 2013. CDPH will also hold public hearings in Sacramento and in Los Angeles on October 11, 2013, to receive comments on the proposed regulations.
The publication of the draft hexavalent chromium MCL follows an order commanding issuance of a hexavalent chromium proposed MCL by the Alameda Superior Court in the NRDC litigation discussed in Rick Coffin’s August 30, 2012 post. See Natural Res. Def. Council v. Cal. Dep’t of Public Health, No. RG12-643520 (Alameda Sup. Ct. July 26, 2013). The court’s order also requires a further hearing in October 2013 to determine if the court will set a deadline for issuance of the final hexavalent chromium MCL. Id.
Barg Coffin will continue to monitor California’s efforts to develop a drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium as well as the status of the NRDC lawsuit.
--David Metres
For more information, please contact Rick Coffin at (415) 228-5400, [email protected], or David Metres at (415) 228-5400, [email protected].
California Issues Draft MCL for Hexavalent Chromium
August 23, 2013 / Dave Metres