August 15, 2025 — Rowland Water District (RWD) has published its latest Public Health Goals (PHGs) report, completed in July in accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 116470. The report reviews water quality data collected from 2022 through 2024 and reaffirms that all drinking water delivered to customers met or surpassed every state and federal drinking water standard during that time.

“Our commitment to water quality and public health is paramount,” said Tom Coleman, Rowland Water District General Manager. “This report is part of our broader effort to be transparent with our community and to go above and beyond regulatory requirements.”

The PHGs report provides additional context about trace-level constituents found in drinking water and compares those levels to non-enforceable, health-based goals set by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These goals are set using extremely conservative public health criteria and are not required standards. The presence of a constituent above a PHG does not mean the water is unsafe, only that RWD is monitoring it closely and evaluating treatment options where feasible.

The report includes an overview of any constituents that exceeded PHGs or MCLGs, along with the health-based risk assessments, available treatment technologies, and estimated costs for implementation if treatment were necessary.

PHGs are developed by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and are based solely on theoretical health risk considerations. Unlike enforceable drinking water standards, PHGs do not consider real-world factors such as current treatment capabilities, cost, or detection limits. When no PHG has been set for a constituent, RWD refers to the federal Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs).

“We understand that water quality is deeply personal. Our customers want to know that what they are drinking is safe for their families,” said Elisabeth Mendez, Rowland Water District Compliance and Safety Manager.  “That is why we take our responsibility so seriously. Our customers’ health and peace of mind are at the heart of everything we do.”

RWD sources its water from multiple trusted suppliers, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Three Valleys Municipal Water District (Miramar Plant and Groundwater), and the California Domestic Water Company. Water quality data from all these sources were thoroughly analyzed to ensure compliance with state and federal drinking water standards.

In preparing this report, RWD followed guidelines developed by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), which were created to assist utilities in meeting new reporting requirements. No additional guidance was provided by state regulatory agencies.

The full report is available on the RWD website at https://rwd.org/phg-report/.

 

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