STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Sustainable
AGENDA DATE: September 10, 2025
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): Citywide
DEPARTMENT: Dallas Water Utilities Department
EXECUTIVE: Dev Rastogi
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SUBJECT
Title
Authorize a professional services contract with HDR Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering services required for a comprehensive Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances assessment at Dallas Water Utilities Water Treatment Plants - Not to exceed $2,999,848.00 - Financing: Water Capital Improvement G Fund
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BACKGROUND
On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a rule setting enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in drinking water for five per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). On May 14, 2025, EPA announced plans to rescind regulations and reconsider the regulatory determinations for several PFAS, and the Hazard Index established in April 2024. EPA also reaffirmed the need to regulate two individual substances, PFOA and PFOS at the originally established MCLs and extended the compliance date by two years to 2031.
Additionally, the EPA regulation requires all Public Water Systems (PWS) which includes Dallas, to complete initial monitoring to establish a baseline by 2027, followed by ongoing compliance monitoring and implementation of solutions, if necessary, to reduce PFAS by 2031. Beginning in 2031, PWS that have PFAS in drinking water at levels which violate one or more of these MCLs, based on an annual running average, must take action to reduce the levels in their drinking water.
The Dallas Water Utilities Department (DWU) has completed the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) sampling effort, collecting water from all three water treatment plants (WTP): Eastside WTP, Bachman WTP and Elm Fork WTP. DWU began monitoring for PFAS under UCMR5 in March 2023 and has completed the UCMR5 monitoring requirement. The results indicate that the expected levels for PFA...
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