Waterkeeper Alliance Celebrates First-Ever Limits on PFAS in Drinking Water, and Calls on Biden to Address All Contamination
By: Thomas Hynes
EPA Announces New Protections to Reduce the Presence of Forever Chemicals in Drinking Water, but More Action is Needed to Clean Up All PFAS Contamination
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized a new rule for regulating PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in drinking water. The new rule encompasses six types of these toxic compounds, including PFOA and PFOS, in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These chemicals have been found to pose health dangers at extremely low levels of exposure and are estimated to be contaminating the drinking water for more than 100 million Americans.
“We’re thrilled to see the EPA strengthen its rulemaking around PFAS in drinking water. It’s an historic moment that’s long overdue. It’s time for President Biden to clean up PFAS contamination in all of our waters and environment,” Marc Yaggi, CEO of Waterkeeper Alliance said. “Waterkeeper Alliance will continue to advocate for strong federal safeguards to stop manufacturers from discharging these toxic compounds into our air, waters, and environment in the first place.”
Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS take thousands of years to break down and accumulate in water, people, wildlife, aquatic life, and the environment. The new rule will require utilities to upgrade their facilities to treat their water so levels of PFAS are as close to zero as possible. This will make the United States one of the strictest countries in the world for regulating PFAS in drinking water. The original rule proposed regulating only two types of PFAS, but due to resounding opposition from advocates and communities alike after a 60 day public commentary period, the finalized rule was increased to six.
Last year, Waterkeeper Alliance released the findings of a groundbreaking analysis of American waterways that found that 83 percent of the 114 waterways tested across the country were found to contain at least one type of these dangerous forever chemicals.