HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 9/6/2022 - Memorandum From Jill Oropeza Re: Testing Of The Fort Collins Utilities Drinking Water For Per-And Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas)
Utilities
electric · stormwater · wastewater · water
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.212.2900
V/TDD 711
utilities@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/utilities
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: August 24, 2022
TO: Mayor Arndt and Councilmembers
FROM: Jill Oropeza, Director, Sciences, UT Water Quality Services Division
THROUGH: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Jason Graham, Utilities Water Director
RE: Testing of the Fort Collins Utilities Drinking Water for Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS)
Bottom Line
On August 22, 2022, Utilities staff collected samples of the City’s drinking water to be tested for
per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Testing is being completed in cooperation with the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and in response to new PFAS
Health Advisories issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Background
PFAS are a class of chemicals that have received national attention in recent years due to their
widespread use, persistence in the environment, and potential to cause adverse health effects.
These chemicals are found in numerous consumer products like cookware, furniture, clothing,
and personal care products, as well as other commercial and industrial products. Traditional
water and wastewater treatment processes cannot effectively remove PFAS.
Potential PFAS contamination of drinking water supplies and the aquatic environment is a
concern due to their ubiquity and persistence, particularly in areas where there have been spills,
manufacturing and disposal sites, and in some cases, where there are upstream treated municipal
wastewater discharges. There have been no known spills or manufacturing or disposal sites in
our area, and we are downstream of only one municipal wastewater discharge, Estes Park’s
wastewater discharge via Horsetooth Reservoir.
Fort Collins PFAS Test Results
We are proactively testing our untreated source waters (Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir)
and finished drinking water to make sure we have the most up to date information based on the
most current approved testing methods.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 79D5FD5C-5900-464E-9A24-12CD358E76DD
Test results from the August 22 sampling event are expected by the end of September and will be
published on the Utilities website, along with past testing results. We will also share these results
with CDPHE.
Fort Collins Utilities website (fcgov.com/PFAS) has been updated to serve as an informational
resource on PFAS, Utilities past and current testing efforts, test results, and ways that consumers
can protect themselves from the exposure from PFAS.
CC: Kendall Minor, Utilities Executive Director
Kathryne Marko, Manager, UT Environmental Regulatory Affairs Division
Lois Rellergert, Sr. Specialist, UT Environmental Regulatory Affairs Division
Ken Morrison, Manager of Plant Operations, UT Water Production Division
Gregg Stonecipher, Sr. Supervisor, Sciences, UT Water Production Division
DocuSign Envelope ID: 79D5FD5C-5900-464E-9A24-12CD358E76DD