Sen. McNerney Introduces Bill to Address PFAS Water Pollution
State Senator Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, on Tuesday introduced new legislation to address PFAS pollution in California’s water supply. SB 454 would establish a special state fund — the PFAS Mitigation Fund — that local agencies and cities could access to help pay for the cleanup of toxic PFAS in drinking water throughout the state.
PFAS, chemicals containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are also known as “forever chemicals” because they linger in the environment for hundreds of thousands of years. According to a recent report, PFAS has been found in water systems serving at least 25.4 million Californians.
“California has banned PFAS in consumer products ranging from food packaging and cosmetics to children’s cribs and playpens. But PFAS has been used in thousands of products during the past eight decades, so forever chemicals have contaminated a substantial portion of our drinking water,” said Sen. McNerney, whose district is facing a significant PFAS contamination problem. “SB 454 would create a much-needed funding tool to help local agencies pay for PFAS cleanup, while also helping protect ratepayers from higher costs.”
SB 454 is co-sponsored by the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) and the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).
“Cal Cities is proud to sponsor SB 454, which will establish a critical fund to support local government efforts to keep our water supply safe from forever chemicals,” said League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman. “SB 454 will help communities meet their goals for promoting a clean environment, protecting public health, and keeping our residents’ water bills affordable.”
“Public water agencies are committed to delivering safe drinking water to Californians,” said ACWA Director of Regulatory Relations Chelsea Haines. “The development of the fund aims to leverage various funding sources to treat PFAS contamination while maintaining water affordability for communities across the state. ACWA is pleased to co-sponsor SB 454.”
PFAS are a group of more than 14,000 chemicals used because of their stain- and water-resistant and nonstick properties. A large body of research has linked PFAS to increased risk of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers; decreased fertility in pregnant women; and developmental effects or delays in children. According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Geological Survey, nearly half of the tap water in the U.S. is contaminated with forever chemicals.
Last April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established national safety standards for certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water. In addition, California’s State Water Resources Control Board is working on safety standards that may be even stricter than the EPA’s regulations.
States, including California, and the federal government have filed several lawsuits against major corporations for their use of PFAS. In late 2023, 3M and DuPont agreed to pay a total of $11.4 billion in a nationwide PFAS settlement.
The PFAS Mitigation Fund created by SB 454 would be managed by the CA Water Board, which would be authorized to seek and dedicate state, federal and private funding, including from corporations that want to responsibly address PFAS contamination. The legislation would also authorize the Water Board to award grants or loans to local agencies and cities to help offset the costs to cleanup. If signed into law, SB 454 would take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Sen. Jerry McNerney is chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and his 5th Senate District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.