Extraordinary new limits introduced to require municipal utilities to remove six PFAS compounds from drinking water
The US Environmental Protection Agency has taken the extraordinary step of setting legal drinking water limits for six of the most studied and toxic PFAS compounds, known commonly as “forever chemicals”, that are at the center of an ongoing environmental crisis.
The new limits mark the first time in 26 years that the EPA has set legal limits for a contaminant in drinking water. Municipal utilities will be required to remove the compounds from drinking water, which could set off a wave of lawsuits directed at PFAS polluters, including the US military and chemical producers like 3M, DuPont and Chemours.
The new rules are “groundbreaking”, said Erik Olson, senior strategic director for the Natural Resources Defense Council non-profit, which tracks PFAS pollution.
“We have a five-alarm fire, and setting strong standards will help ensure the fundamental right of every family to have safe water flowing from their kitchen tap,” he said.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of about 14,000 chemicals often used to make products resist water, stains and heat. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down, and are linked to cancer, liver problems, thyroid issues, birth defects, kidney disease, decreased immunity and other serious health problems.
