What are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are manufactured chemicals used in many household products including nonstick cookware (e.g., Teflon™), stain repellants (e.g., Scotchgard™), and waterproofing (e.g., GORE-TEX™). They are also used in industrial applications such as in firefighting foams and electronics production. There are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they persist in the environment. Two well-known PFAS chemicals are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). These were phased out of production in the United States and replaced by hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (commonly known as GenX), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and others.
Additional information on PFAS from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) can be found at epa.gov/pfas.
What is the EPA doing about PFAS in drinking water?
EPA is proposing a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) to establish legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS in drinking water. PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and HFPO-DA (commonly referred to as GenX Chemicals) as a PFAS mixture. EPA is also proposing health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these six PFAS. Current proposed MCLs are 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS and a hazard index of 1.0 for GenX chemicals.
Drinking water limits are enforceable, which means water systems must meet them. U.S. EPA sets drinking water limits as close to the level where no health impacts are expected, considering the ability to measure and treat the chemical, among other factors. Although these limits have been proposed, they are not yet final and must go through a detailed review process and may be changed before being put into law. The final law is expected in early 2024. After the law has been finalized, water utilities will have a set amount of time to make changes to meet the new limits, typically three years.
More information on the development of federal drinking water limits is available at epa.gov/sdwa/how-epa-regulates-drinking-water-contaminants . EPA is developing drinking water limits for PFAS chemicals as part of the PFAS Strategic Roadmap. More information is available at epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024. We will closely watch the development of the new PFAS limits and share information with you as it becomes available.
Where can I learn more about PFAS in drinking water?
The WV Department of Environmental Protection has information available at
dep.wv.gov/key-issues/Pages/PFAS.aspx.
The EPA PFAS Strategic Roadmap is available at epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024.
PFAS health effect information can also be found on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/health-effects/index.html
One part per trillion is equivalent to a single drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
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