Washington, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made a significant announcement on Wednesday, introducing a national regulation to limit the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water for the first time. PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic substances that are pervasive in air, water, and soil and are notoriously slow to break down in the environment.
According to the EPA, exposure to PFAS poses health risks, and the new regulation will require public water utilities to test for six different types of PFAS chemicals in an effort to reduce exposure in drinking water. The EPA estimates that these new standards will benefit around 100 million people by reducing PFAS exposure and preventing thousands of illnesses and deaths.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized the importance of addressing the contamination of drinking water with PFAS, stating that communities have been dealing with this issue for far too long. To assist public water utility companies in complying with the new standards, the EPA has earmarked $1 billion for states and territories to conduct PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems. This funding is part of a larger $9 billion investment made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 to aid communities impacted by PFAS contamination.
Despite the known risks associated with PFAS for decades, federal regulation of these chemicals has faced significant opposition from the chemical industry and some water utilities. Critics argue that the current standards, which regulate only six out of more than 15,000 PFAS chemicals, do not go far enough. The EPA estimates that approximately 6% to 10% of the 66,000 public water utility systems affected by the new regulation may need to take action to comply with the standards.
While the burden of cleaning up PFAS contamination falls on water utility companies, the new regulations do little to hold polluters accountable for the damage caused by PFAS to the environment and human health. Recent settlements with chemical companies over PFAS contamination, such as the $10.3 billion agreement reached by 3M in June 2023, highlight the significant impact of PFAS on communities.
To reduce exposure to PFAS in drinking water, individuals can inquire with their water utility about testing for these chemicals or conduct testing through a state-certified laboratory following EPA standards. Various technologies are available for filtering PFAS from home water sources. Additionally, many companies have banned PFAS from their products, offering consumers options to limit exposure to these harmful substances.