Water quality (PFAS)
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are man-made chemicals used in many consumer and industrial products. In 2024 the State Water Resources Control Board ordered public water systems, including this district (water system CA1010026), to test their wells for PFAS. The state sets a notification level, above which the water system must notify its governing board and local governments, and a higher response level, above which the source must be taken out of service, treated or blended, or the public notified.
The state’s fact sheets and current standards are on the State Water Board’s PFAS page.
Test results on file
| Well and sample date | PFOA | PFOS | PFHxS | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State levels: notification / response | 5.1 / 10 | 6.5 / 40 | 3 / 20 | State Water Board |
| Well 9, May 8, 2025 (state notice June 26, 2025) | 11 | 7 | 3.7 | State notice |
| Well 5, Aug. 25, 2026 | 14 | 8.1 | 4.2 | Lab report |
| Well 6, Aug. 25, 2026 | 3.0* | 2.3 | not detected | Lab report |
| Well 7, Aug. 25, 2026 | 3.0* | 3.4 | not detected | Lab report |
| Well 8, Aug. 25, 2026 | 2.6* | 1.7 | not detected | Lab report |
| Well 9, Aug. 25, 2026 | not detected | not detected | not detected | Lab report |
Results are in parts per trillion (ng/L) from untreated well water. *The lab flagged these PFOA results with “B,” meaning PFOA was also found in the lab’s method blank. The state judges the response level on a running annual average, not a single sample. The August 2026 report lists other PFAS compounds not shown here.
What the record shows
- Nov. 7, 2023: the board reported after closed session that it adopted Resolution 2023-06 opting out of specified class action lawsuits on water contamination (minutes).
- Mar. 4, 2024: the state issued General Order DW-2024-0002-DDW requiring PFAS testing. Dec. 5, 2023 minutes record that testing would begin in March 2024.
- June 26, 2025: the state notified the district that Well 9 was above the notification level for PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS.
- Oct. 31, 2025: Provost & Pritchard’s proposal for planning work on Well 5 treatment and Well 9 says the state notified the district on July 29, 2025 that Well 5 had met the “Notification or Consumer Confidence Report Detection Level” for one of the PFAS compounds. The board approved that work Nov. 4, 2025 (Resolution 2025-06).
- The board authorized a state funding application for Well 5 treatment and a new Well 10 on Feb. 11, 2026; the engineer reported Mar. 11 that Well 9’s site is too small for treatment, so the plan is to take Well 9 out of service and build Well 10.
Documents
- State Water Board: General Order DW-2024-0002-DDW and cover letter (Mar. 4, 2024)
- State Water Board: Well 9 PFAS detected above notification level (June 26, 2025)
- McCampbell Analytical: PFAS results for Wells 5 to 9 (sampled Aug. 25, 2026)
- Provost & Pritchard: Executive summary, PFAS detection at Well 9 (undated)
- Notification letter to the City of Fresno (unsigned, undated draft as distributed)
- Notification letter to the County of Fresno (unsigned, undated draft as distributed)
Engineering proposals and agreements for the Well 5, 9 and 10 work are on the Reports and handouts page.