EPA proposes regulation of additional PFAS constituents under the Safe Drinking Water Act

On March 14, 2023, EPA proposed rulemaking to set drinking water limits under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as “GenX Chemicals”), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). This proposed rulemaking builds off of the June 15, 2022, EPA drinking water health advisories for four PFAS compounds including PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, and GenX chemicals.

The proposed rule will also require monitoring of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxs, Gen X Chemicals, PFNA, and PFBS pursuant to EPA’s Standardized Monitoring Framework for Synthetic Organic Compounds.  Water systems with PFAS levels that exceed the proposed MCLs would need to take action to provide safe and reliable drinking water. The announcement from EPA can be found here.