EPA plans to weaken ‘forever chemical’ drinking water limits

The Trump administration has announced plans to weaken drinking water limits for toxic “forever chemicals” despite its promises to “Make America Healthy Again.”

“Forever chemicals” are toxic substances that are found in the tap water of nearly half of the U.S. population. There are thousands of these substances and they can last for hundreds or even thousands of years in the environment.

Exposure to these chemicals, also known as PFAS, has been linked to health issues including cancer, kidney and thyroid issues, weakened immune systems and fertility issues. 

In 2024, the Biden administration set the first-ever limits on six types of PFAS. It said at the time that its action would reduce exposure to PFAS for about 100 million people, preventing 9,600 deaths and nearly 30,000 illnesses in the coming decades. 

Under the Biden-era rules, public drinking water systems were required to test for these chemicals. If it found them, they’d have to install technology to filter them out by 2029.

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it will “rescind and reconsider” filtration requirements for four of those six PFAS. For the two PFAS that will still need to be filtered out, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying the requirements to do so by two years.

Now, public water systems with just two types of PFAS — PFOA and PFOS — will be required to filter out those chemicals by 2031.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the changes as “common-sense flexibility.”

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water,” Zeldin said in a written statement. 

“At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance. This will support water systems across the country, including small systems in rural communities, as they work to address these contaminants,” he added.

Other types of PFAS, those known as GenX, PFBS,  PFHxS and PFNA, will be newly rescinded from the rule. 

Asked about the changes to the rule during a congressional hearing on Wednesday, Zeldin indicated that the agency may not ultimately exclude those four substances. 

 “There was an issue as it relates to the four other chemicals and that’s something that we are going to be going through a process, but that doesn’t mean that it gets weaker.”

He indicated that the limits on those chemicals may ultimately be “lower, not higher” – meaning the rule may ultimately be stronger.

However, environmental activists recoiled at the changes announced by the EPA, including Emily Donovan, whose North Carolina community has faced GenX contamination. , criticized the EPA’s decision.

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing,” Donovan said. 

“It’s disrespectful to PFAS contaminated communities who have suffered debilitating illnesses and devastating losses. This is a clear victory for the trillion dollar chemical industry — not public health. Americans need to call their members of congress immediately and demand action,” she added. 

The Trump administration has repeatedly vowed to “Make America Healthy Again” but many of its actions have come in stark contrast to that promise — including its plans to roll back regulations on various toxic chemicals.

“If you were to come and visit this area and talk to someone who’s lived here for a long time,  it won’t take you long to hear a story of a serious illness or cancer,” Donovan told The Hill in a follow up call.

The EPA’s move to delay the implementation of filtration systems won praise from at least some in the water industry.

“EPA has done the right thing for rural and small communities by delaying implementation of the PFAS rule,” said National Rural Water Association CEO Matthew Holmes in a written statement shared by EPA.

“This commonsense decision provides the additional time that water system managers need to identify affordable treatment technologies and make sure they are on a sustainable path to compliance,” Holmes added.

Meanwhile, at least one water company indicated that it would not be changing its plans in response to the EPA’s decision to provide more time.

“Today’s announced plan by the EPA to extend the timeline for compliance will not impact American Water’s PFAS compliance or capital plan as the company is committed to complying with the standards in a timely manner,” American Water told The Hill via email.

A key chemical lobbying group that has opposed the drinking water rules praised the EPA’s move but also said that it needs to go further. 

“EPA’s actions reflect efforts to address the concerns of water utilities and local governments, focus on national drinking water priorities, minimize the impact on water bills, and ensure consistency with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act,” said the American Chemistry Council in a written statement. “However, EPA’s actions only partially address this issue, and more is needed to prevent significant impacts on local communities and other unintended consequences.”

—Updated at 2:57 a.m. EDT