The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announcedtoday new proposed drinking water standards for six individual PFAS chemicals —a move that could re-shape how drinking water is tested, sourced and treated throughout the U.S. If adopted, the proposed changes would represent the first modification to drinking water standards for new chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water Act since 1996. The chemicals don’t break down readily in the environment, so are often called “forever chemicals.” The nonprofit Environmental Working Group has found PFAS contamination at more than 2,800 locations in all 50 states, including in many public and private drinking water systems. While the six chemicals in the proposal are common, there are an estimated more than 9,000 types of PFAS compounds. Public water treatment systems would have about three years to comply.

Source: New York Times March 14, 2023 15:52 UTC