Public Utilities Get 2 More Years to Filter ‘Forever Chemicals’

An executive order from President Donald Trump delayed the deadline for new drinking-water standards from the Environmental Protection Agency that would remove “forever chemicals” to give utilities additional time to adjust.

The decision to extend the deadline by two years — to 2031 — was welcomed by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA).

“We welcome EPA’s recognition that compliance will require additional time and flexibility, particularly for small systems and those facing affordability challenges. Allowing communities time to make fiscally sound decisions based on thoughtful evaluation of compliance alternatives is simply good policy,” the associations said in a statement.

The financial burden of adapting water systems to filter out the chemical would weigh heavily on utilities and their customers. The association also questioned the fairness of putting the onus on the nations 66,000 water utilities to clean up contamination caused by industry.

What are “forever chemicals?”

PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which comprise a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in manufacturing since the 1940s. Products from the linings of fast-food boxes and non-stick cookware to firefighting foams include PFAS, which repel oils and resist heat. The chemicals trickled into groundwater and rivers over time.

The EPA rules adopted during President Joe Biden’s term set limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.”

The regulations set enforceable maximum contaminant levels at 4 parts per trillion, which the EPA said is the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.

The EPA’s new rules would rescind the limits of for chemicals subject to 10 parts trillion.

A map produced by the Environmental Working Group shows 5,021 sites in 50 states where current measurements vary wildly. Some sites show contamination measurements in the tens, hundreds and— in a few cases — thousands of parts per trillion.

Health risks from exposure

High concentrations of some PFAS may lead to adverse health risks in people, according to the EPA. The chemicals are commonly called “forever chemicals” because they take so long to break down.

The chemicals have been linked to decreased fertility, developmental effects in children, and higher risks of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers, among other health problems, the EPA says.

The EPA says PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment, though the degree of health risk is still being studied.

The chemicals are so pervasive that a study by United States Geological Survey (USGS) found PFAS in at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water.