On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced it issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.”

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.

“This final rule represents the most significant step to protect public health under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap,” an Agency news release says. “The final rule will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses.”

“EPA is taking a signature step to protect public health by establishing legally enforceable levels for several PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water. This rule sets limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as ‘GenX Chemicals’). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX chemicals. By reducing exposure to PFAS, this final rule will prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children,” the news release adds.

More details about the final PFAS drinking water standards:

• For perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), the EPA is setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG), a nonenforceable health-based goal, at zero. This reflects the latest science showing there’s no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.
• The EPA is setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) at 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS individually. This standard will reduce exposure from these PFAS in our drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.
• For perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS), and GenX chemicals, the EPA is setting the MCLGs and MCLs at 10 ppt.
• Because PFAS can often be found together in mixtures, and research shows these mixtures may have combined health impacts, the EPA is also setting a limit for any mixture of two or more of the following PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), and GenX chemicals.

The Agency has $21 billion available from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated to hand out to strengthen American drinking water systems, including by addressing PFAS contamination. Of that, $9 billion is dedicated specifically to tackling PFAS and emerging contaminants. An additional $12 billion is available for general drinking water improvements, including addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS.

“This final rule advances President Biden’s commitment to ending cancer as we know it as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot, to ensuring that all Americans have access to clean, safe, drinking water, and to furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice by protecting communities that are most exposed to toxic chemicals,” the news release continues.

According to EPA estimates, between 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet these new standards. All public water systems have 3 years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals. They must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Where PFAS is found at levels that exceed these standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water within 5 years.

The new limits in this rule are achievable using a range of available technologies and approaches, including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems. For example, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, serving Wilmington, North Carolina, one of the communities most heavily impacted by PFAS contamination, has effectively deployed a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS regulated by this rule. Drinking water systems will have flexibility to determine the best solution for their community.

“EPA will be working closely with state co-regulators in supporting water systems and local officials to implement this rule,” notes the news release. “In the coming weeks, EPA will host a series of webinars to provide information to the public, communities, and water utilities about the final PFAS drinking water regulation. To learn more about the webinars, please visit EPA’s PFAS drinking water regulation webpage. EPA has also published a toolkit of communications resources to help drinking water systems and community leaders educate the public about PFAS, where they come from, their health risks, how to reduce exposure, and about this rule.”