EPA establishes nationwide legally enforceable drinking water limits

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been delivering on the promise to protect communities from the harmful effects of toxic substances, including cancer-causing agents. Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a series of man-made chemical compounds that persist in the environment for long periods of time.

The EPA’s responsibility through the Safe Drinking Water Act is to protect people’s drinking water, and on April 10, 2024, the EPA took an action to protect public health by establishing nationwide, legally enforceable drinking water limits for several well-researched PFAS chemicals and reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million Americans served by public drinking water systems. 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 EPA will be working closely with state co-regulators in supporting water systems and local officials to implement this rule.

Many states have worked to monitor for and reduce PFAS exposure in drinking water through state-specific regulations. This new rule builds on these efforts by incorporating the latest science and establishing a nationwide, long-term health-protective level for these specific PFAS in drinking water. Communities and states will need to determine whether PFAS are in their drinking water and take actions, such as notifying consumers and reducing the levels of PFAS, as needed.

Water systems must take action to reduce the levels of these PFAS in drinking water if the level of PFAS in their drinking water exceeds regulatory standards. Regulated public water systems have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals. Systems must include their results in their Annual Water Quality reports to customers. Systems that detect PFAS above the new standards will have five years to implement solutions that reduce PFAS in their drinking water. Water systems must also notify the public if levels of regulated PFAS exceed these new standards.

Montgomery Village residents  who want to learn more about PFAS in drinking water should contact WSSC Water at 301-206-WSSC (9772). WSSC representatives should be able to relay if any contaminants may be present, whether the utility is monitoring for PFAS, what the levels are, and whether any actions are being taken.

Information for this article was supplied by the MVF Committee on the Environment.