EPA Proposes to Drop Drinking Water Rules for Four PFAS Chemicals

The Environmental Protection Agency has published a proposed rule to remove existing drinking water limits for four specific PFAS chemicals: PFHxS, PFNA, GenX (HFPO-DA), and a mixture of those three plus PFBS. The agency is also proposing to delete the related monitoring, treatment, and reporting requirements that were tied to those limits. This action does not change the current rules for PFOA and PFOS, which remain in place.

Why it matters: This is a deregulatory move that shifts how drinking water systems handle four specific PFAS chemicals. If finalized, water utilities would no longer be required to test for or treat these substances under federal rules, though states could still impose their own limits. The change matters primarily to water system operators, state regulators, and facilities that previously adjusted their operations to meet these specific federal standards.

Who it affects

• Public water systems (community and non-transient non-community systems) that currently monitor or treat for these four PFAS chemicals

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This is a proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency published in the Federal Register; the standards are not yet removed, and the final action may differ based on public comments.

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Source: Federal Register — read the official document