The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set its first-ever national, legally enforceable limits on PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” in drinking water on Wednesday.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals widely used in consumer and industrial products to repel oil and resist heat since the 1940s. They break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, food, and water and may lead to adverse health effects including decreased fertility, development delays, increased risk of cancer, and more, according to the EPA.
“This new standard will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people. It will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said at a press conference in Fayetteville, N.C., where residents found out in 2017 that the Cape Fear River, a drinking water source for one million people, was contaminated with PFAS from nearby chemical company facilities.
“Everyone should be able to turn on their tap and trust that the water that they’re drinking and giving their children is safe,” Regan said.
The new regulation, which requires public water systems to reduce contamination by 2029, sets limits for five individual PFAS chemicals and for mixtures of at least two of three of these and one more. (There are nearly 15,000 chemicals in the class). Regan said the EPA started with six because it had the best data about them, but added “we’re going to continue until we get all of them.”
The government estimates roughly 6% to 10% of the country’s 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to meet new standards. Public water systems will have until 2027 to comply with initial monitoring and report drinking water contamination levels to the public. If findings show levels exceed the limits, they must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in the water supply by 2029.
When the rules come…
Read the full article here
