(NEXSTAR) – As President Trump’s EPA prepares to roll back some of the safeguards against so-called “forever chemicals,” some Americans may be wondering what they can do to protect their drinking water.
On Wednesday, the EPA said it will weaken some of the limits that were put in place under former President Biden last year to minimize PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight.
Limits on three types of PFAS, including what are known as GenX substances found in North Carolina, will be scrapped and reconsidered by the agency, as will a limit on a mixture of several types of PFAS.
The Biden administration’s rule also set standards for the two common types of PFAS, referred to as PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion, effectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. The EPA will keep those standards, but give utilities two extra years — until 2031 — to comply.
“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
It appears few utilities will be impacted by the withdrawal of limits for certain, newer types of PFAS. So far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems with PFOA or PFOS.
Health advocates praised Biden’s administration for the limits. But water utilities complained, saying treatment systems are expensive and that customers will end up paying more. The utilities sued the EPA.
The EPA’s actions align with some arguments in the utilities’ lawsuit. They argued the EPA lacked authority to regulate a mixture of PFAS and said the agency didn’t properly support limits on several newer types of PFAS that the EPA now plans to rescind. They also sought the two-year extension.
Precautions experts suggest taking
“The news of weakening the PFAS regulations was truly a betrayal to all communities,” Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), told Nexstar. “Nobody wants PFAS in their drinking water and it’s important for everyone to voice their concern to their elected officials that rolling back drinking water protections is harmful.”
Stoiber added that, while regulatory mandates may shift, it’s always good to know what is in your drinking water. People who get their water from a private well may want to get their water tested, Stoiber said, especially if the home is near an area with PFAS contamination.
Residents who get their drinking water from a municipal supply can also have it tested, either by a county health department or a state-certified laboratory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Homeowners can call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or by visiting www.epa.gov/safewater/labs for additional testing resources.
Stoiber and others at EWG have been maintaining a ZIP code-searchable database with the environmental group’s findings from samples collected between 2021 and 2023.
“Once you know what contaminants are in your water, it will help you to select an effective water filter,” Stoiber said. “One of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your exposure to environmental contamination is to filter your drinking water. Reverse osmosis and activated carbon filters are most effective for removing PFAS.”
Evidence of harm builds and so does the cost
Manufactured by companies like Chemours and 3M, PFAS were incredibly useful in many applications -– among them, helping clothes to withstand rain and ensuring that firefighting foam snuffed out flames. But the chemicals also accumulate in the body. As science advanced in recent years, evidence of harm at far lower levels became clearer.
The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each year. Water utility associations say the costs, combined with recent mandates to replace lead pipes, will raise residents’ bills and fall hardest on small communities with few resources.
The Biden administration did work to address cost concerns. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $9 billion for chemicals like PFAS, utilities have won multibillion-dollar settlements against PFAS polluters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
