OCWD ramps up federal lobbying for PFAS liability exemption and treatment funding

OCWD ramps up federal lobbying for PFAS liability exemption and treatment fundingAhead of a pivotal March 23 congressional briefing, the Orange County Water District is mobilizing to protect "passive receivers" from Superfund liability while advancing FY27 funding requests for local PFAS clean-up.

OCWD representatives will participate in a March 23 congressional briefing to advocate for a legislative fix exempting water agencies from CERCLA liability.

The district recently secured $750,000 for its own PFAS clean-up and $1.09 million for Santa Ana in the FY26 Consolidated Appropriations Bill.

Staff have submitted FY27 Community Project Funding requests for further PFAS remediation to multiple federal lawmakers.

OCWD is also lobbying for federal appropriations to support Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) for stormwater capture at Prado Dam.

The Orange County Water District (OCWD) is intensifying its federal advocacy efforts to secure liability protections for water systems forced to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). During a March 5 Communications and Legislative Liaison Committee meeting, district officials outlined a strategy to shield utilities from potential Superfund liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The district's immediate focus is an upcoming March 23 congressional briefing in Washington, D.C., organized by a coalition of water sector "passive receivers." The briefing aims to educate congressional staff on the necessity of a legislative fix to ensure that water agencies do not face third-party litigation or cleanup liability simply for treating PFAS and disposing of the resulting residuals. According to federal advocate Eric Sapirstein, the briefing serves as a critical step to "get all the staff who are going to write legislation addressing this issue in the room." A delegation including Director Van Tran and other district staff plans to attend the D.C. meetings to push the needle forward on the exemption. The push aligns with a recent proposal drafted by Senator Pete Ricketts to provide CERCLA liability protection for the water sector, which is currently pending review by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Parallel to the liability exemption efforts, OCWD is actively pursuing federal appropriations to finance its ongoing PFAS treatment operations. Staff confirmed the submission of FY27 Community Project Funding requests for PFAS clean-up to a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, and Congressmembers Young Kim, Tran, Min, and Lou Correa. The district also assisted the City of Santa Ana in submitting a related funding request. These new applications follow a recent federal funding victory for the region. The FY26 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, signed into law in January 2026, allocated $750,000 to support OCWD's PFAS clean-up and $1.09 million for Santa Ana's PFAS remediation. Beyond PFAS, the district is advancing other federal infrastructure priorities. Staff requested that the Orange County congressional delegation support federal appropriations for Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) to enhance stormwater capture at Prado Dam. Additionally, OCWD has submitted an environmental infrastructure authorization request for inclusion in the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026.