The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently set national limits for six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are difficult to degrade and can remain in the environment indefinitely. These substances have been linked to various health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and reproductive problems. The EPA’s new limits specify that levels of PFOA and PFOS should not exceed 4 parts per trillion in public drinking water, while three additional PFAS chemicals have a limit of 10 parts per trillion.
PFAS chemicals have been widely used in nonstick and stain-resistant products since the 1940s, but their use in the U.S. has been phased out in the mid-2000s. However, they persist in the environment and have been replaced by newer generations of PFAS chemicals. The EPA’s new limits reflect the lowest levels that can be detected and effectively treated in public water systems. While there is no safe level of exposure to PFAS, the agency acknowledges that eliminating the chemicals entirely should be the ultimate goal.
Eleven states already have regulatory standards for PFAS in drinking water, and the EPA estimates that 6% to 10% of the country’s public water systems will need to make changes to comply with the new federal limits. The agency believes that the new limits will prevent thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of serious illnesses related to PFAS exposure. Public water systems that do not currently monitor for PFAS have three years to start, and if levels above the EPA limits are detected, additional time will be given to install new technologies to reduce PFAS.
Although the new EPA limits represent a significant step forward in addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water, they only apply to a small fraction of the thousands of PFAS chemicals in existence. Activists are still concerned about overall exposure to these chemicals and continue to push for stricter regulations. The EPA has made $1 billion in funding available to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment, with additional resources coming from the federal infrastructure law passed in 2021.
Public water systems have also pursued legal action against companies that manufacture or have manufactured PFAS, aiming to hold them accountable for the costs of testing and filtering for these chemicals. Treatment options for removing PFAS from water include activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange resins. It may take years to see a decrease in exposure to PFAS even after water is treated. While the EPA’s new limits are a significant development, activists emphasize that more work needs to be done to address the broader issue of PFAS contamination in water sources.
