Environmental Protection Agency sets new limits for 'forever chemicals' in drinking water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced new drinking water standards limiting levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," which are known to have adverse health effects.

PFAS have been used since 1940s to repel oil and water and resist heat, and they have been used in nonstick cookware, food packaging, stain resistant clothing and firefighting foam, among other everyday items. But exposure to certain PFAS over a long period of time can cause cancer and other illnesses. Exposure to PFAS exposure during pregnancy or early childhood can also result in adverse health effects.

“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “That is why President Biden has made tackling PFAS a top priority, investing historic resources to address these harmful chemicals and protect communities nationwide. Our PFAS Strategic Roadmap marshals the full breadth of EPA’s authority and resources to protect people from these harmful forever chemicals."

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The EPA has established legally enforceable levels for PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water. The rule sets limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”), as well as a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.”

The rule sets the enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels at 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, individually. For PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals,” EPA is setting the Maximum Contaminant Levels at 10 parts per trillion.

The EPA estimates that between 6% and 10% of 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to meet the new standards. All public water systems have three years to complete initial monitoring for these chemicals, and must inform the public of PFAS levels found in their drinking water. Systems where PFAS levels exceed the new standards have five years to reduce them.

The new limits can be met using existing technologies and approaches including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems, according to the EPA. In Wilmington, N.C., a community "heavily impacted" by PFAS contamination, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority deployed a granular activated carbon system to reduce levels.

“We learned about GenX and other PFAS in our tap water six years ago. I raised my children on this water and watched loved ones suffer from rare or recurrent cancers. No one should ever worry if their tap water will make them sick or give them cancer," said Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear. "I’m grateful the Biden EPA heard our pleas and kept its promise to the American people. We will keep fighting until all exposures to PFAS end and the chemical companies responsible for business-related human rights abuses are held fully accountable."

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA is directing $21 billion to strengthening drinking water systems across the country. Of that, $9 billion is for addressing PFAS and emerging contaminants. The EPA's Water Technical Assistance program can help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities access federal resources develop plans; build technical, managerial, and financial capacity; and apply for water infrastructure funding.

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“Coupled with the additional $1 billion investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help communities address PFAS pollution, the reductions in exposure to toxic substances delivered by EPA’s standards will further the Biden Cancer Moonshot goal of reducing the cancer death rate by at least half by 2047 and preventing more than four million cancer deaths — and stopping cancer before it starts by protecting communities from known risks associated with exposure to PFAS and other contaminants, including kidney and testicular cancers, and more," said Deputy Assistant to the President for the Cancer Moonshot, Dr. Danielle Carnival.

“For decades, the American people have been exposed to the family of incredibly toxic ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS with no protection from their government. Those chemicals now contaminate virtually all Americans from birth. That’s because for generations, PFAS chemicals slid off of every federal environmental law like a fried egg off a Teflon pan — until Joe Biden came along,” said Environmental Working Group President and Co-Founder Ken Cook. “We commend EPA Administrator Michael Regan for his tireless leadership to make this decision a reality, and [White House Council on Environmental Quality] Chair Brenda Mallory for making sure PFAS is tackled with the ‘whole of government’ approach President Biden promised."

Credit: TMX

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Drinking water gets cleaner: New EPA rules target forever chemicals