Michigan LCV hails new federal drinking water protections for PFAS chemicals

FIRST-EVER FEDERAL STANDARDS WILL ESTABLISH STRONG LIMITS ON SIX WIDELY DETECTED PFAS IN DRINKING WATER, PROTECT THE HEALTH OF IMPACTED COMMUNITIES

ANN ARBOR, MI – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first-ever National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The new rule establishes Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six widely detected PFAS in drinking water and will help protect the health of impacted communities across the United States.

“Today’s announcement of the first-ever national drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals marks the most significant federal action to address these toxic ‘forever chemicals’ ever and would not have happened without President Biden’s leadership,” said Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “We applaud the EPA and White House for pursuing the finalization of these standards over the last year and celebrate the positive impact the standards will have on protecting our drinking water, our health, and addressing the toxic PFAS crisis here in Michigan.”

The final rule establishes legally enforceable individual Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS at 4 parts per trillion (ppt), MCLs for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA at 10 ppt; and sets a Hazard Index MCL for chemical mixtures containing two or more of either, PFHxS, PFNA, HGPO-DA, or PFBS. Public water systems will be required to begin PFAS monitoring and ongoing compliance practices by 2027 and implement solutions to reduce PFAS levels above MCLs by 2029. If a public water system violates one or more MCLs, action to reduce PFAS levels and notify the public will be required. Additionally, the EPA announced $1 billion in new funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to help states with PFAS testing and treatment for public water systems and private wells.