EPA delays full PFAS rules, keeps limits for two major chemicals.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is changing how it handles certain man-made chemicals in drinking water, which could affect millions of people across the country. These chemicals are part of a group known as PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment or the human body. They’ve been used for decades in things like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food wrappers, and firefighting foam. Over time, they’ve made their way into soil, rivers, and eventually, drinking water. People exposed to them through water or other sources can carry the chemicals in their bodies for years. Research has found that PFAS can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other health problems. Some babies born to mothers exposed to PFAS may be underweight, and scientists are still studying the long-term effects.
Last year, the Biden administration approved the first-ever nationwide limits for PFAS in drinking water. This move was meant to reduce how much of these chemicals people are exposed to and protect public health. The original rule set very low legal limits for six types of PFAS, including the two most well-known ones: PFOA and PFOS. These two chemicals have been widely studied and are known to be dangerous, even at tiny levels. The rule required water systems to test for these substances and bring their levels down to four parts per trillion, which is the lowest amount that current testing can detect with confidence. At the time, health and environmental groups praised the new rule as a major step forward.
Now, the EPA says it plans to make changes to that rule. The limits on PFOA and PFOS will stay in place, but the agency will give water systems two extra years—until 2031—to meet the requirements. This extension is meant to give local governments and utilities more time to upgrade their systems and find affordable ways to remove the chemicals. Installing new treatment systems can be expensive and time-consuming, especially for smaller communities.
At the same time, the EPA plans to backtrack on some of the other limits it had introduced. Specifically, the agency will throw out the limits for three other types of PFAS, including a type known as GenX, which is mostly found in North Carolina. It will also take another look at how to regulate a mixture of different PFAS chemicals when they appear together in water. These parts of the rule will be reconsidered, meaning the EPA may come back with different rules later, but for now, the earlier limits won’t be enforced.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency is still committed to protecting people from PFAS, but it also wants to give communities time to figure out the best way to handle the changes. The revised timeline and reworking of the rule seem to be a response to pressure from some utility companies and local governments, who argued that the original requirements would be hard to meet so quickly. While some health experts worry that scaling back the rule could delay help for communities already dealing with PFAS pollution, others believe that more time could make the changes more realistic and better supported in the long run.
PFAS contamination has been found in drinking water across many states, and testing shows that millions of Americans may have been drinking low levels of these chemicals for years without knowing it. With the federal government now more involved, local water systems are under pressure to clean up their water. Even with the changes, the EPA’s move shows that the issue is not being ignored. However, how and when cleaner water actually reaches people’s homes will depend on how the new rules are finalized and carried out.
Sources:
EPA announces rollback for some Biden-era limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
Trump’s EPA rolls back some PFAS standards in drinking water
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