The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2013-14

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

This performance measure seeks to assess how well the Water Boards are doing at protecting human health at leaking underground storage tanks cases. We have determined that the human health exposure has been controlled for approximately 50% of cases that were open any time during the fiscal year, either because the source of the contamination has been identified, the extent and magnitude of soil and groundwater contamination is defined, or that human health risk assessment has been performed. In order to consider a case to be controlling human health exposure, appropriate remedial actions, such as cleanup or risk management measures, must be implemented. Although the number and percentage of cases where human health exposure is not controlled is small (approx. 7%), the number of cases pending determination is relatively high at 43%.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

The ultimate goal of the leaking underground storage tanks program is to protect beneficial uses of water quality by reducing or minimizing the exposure to harmful chemicals to humans from contaminated sites. The "number of cleanup cases with human health exposure controlled" means a count of all open Water Board-lead cases and Shared-lead cases where human health exposure has been evaluated as of the end of the fiscal year. The process of cleaning and remediation of the impacts of pollution may take several years and may be completed in different phases. During the period that a case remains active, work will be done to investigate the nature and extent of the contamination, determine appropriate cleanup goals and construct/implement actions to effect cleanup (remediation). This performance measure is intended to show how well the Water Boards are doing at controlling the human health exposure to pollution from contaminated sites.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data source: GEOTRACKER. Period July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014.
• Unit of Measure: Number of cases where human health is controlled.
• Data Definitions: Active Cases: The number of cases overseen by Regional Boards that had an Open status as of June 30, 2014. Inactive Cases: Include cases where there is no funding or resources available to work on the case. Cases with Human Health Exposure Controlled: human health exposure is controlled either because the source of the contamination has been identified, the extent and magnitude of soil and groundwater contamination is defined or that human health risk assessment has been performed. Cases Where Human Health Exposure is Not Controlled: An unacceptable human health risk is determined to be present. Cases Pending Determination: Include cases for which there is insufficient data to determine that human health exposure is controlled and those cases for which no data has been entered in the databases.
• References:
  The Water Boards' Leaking Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Program
  Brownfields
  Public Reports and Data
  FY 13/14 Annual Agency Status Report

GLOSSARY:

Leaking Underground Storage Tanks

Leaking underground storage tanks are a significant source of petroleum impacts to groundwater and a risk to human health and safety. Contamination may impact drinking water aquifers, public or private drinking water wells, and present a risk of exposure to humans through inhalation of vapors. These threats are minimized when UST owners or operators (responsible parties) report a leak to the environment to the local regulatory agency within 24 hours of detection. If a leak occurs, responsible parties or their representative must notify the appropriate Regional Water Quality Control Board or County Agency and submit an unauthorized release form. Site investigation and cleanup (corrective action) costs can only be reimbursed by the Cleanup Fund after the tank release has been reported to the Regional Board or county regulatory agency. Regional Board and many County Agencies are authorized to oversee the investigation and cleanup of UST system releases.

Number of cleanup cases with human health exposure controlled

Means a count of all open Water Board-lead cases and Shared-lead cases where human health exposure has been evaluated as of the end of the FiscalYear.

Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy

This policy is a state policy for water quality control and applies to all petroleum UST sites subject to Chapter 6.7 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code and Chapter 16 of Division 3 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations.

( Updated:  10/31/14 )