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EPA Announces Rollback of PFAS Drinking Water Limits, Extends Compliance Deadlines

The agency will retain strict standards for PFOA and PFOS but rescind limits on other PFAS chemicals, delaying full compliance to 2031.

Equipment sits inside the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant, which processes water for much of New Hanover County in Wilmington, N.C., Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
Water is processed through carbon filters inside large reservoirs designed to remove a forever chemical, known as PFAS at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant in Wilmington, N.C., Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
A stock photo of drinking water from the tap.

Overview

  • The EPA will maintain the 4 parts per trillion standard for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most common PFAS chemicals, while extending the compliance deadline to 2031.
  • Limits on three PFAS types, including GenX substances found in North Carolina, and a PFAS mixture will be rescinded and reconsidered under the rollback plan.
  • Environmental groups have criticized the rollback, arguing it undermines public health protections and prior commitments to clean drinking water.
  • EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated the changes aim to balance health protections with operational flexibility for water utilities, particularly smaller systems.
  • The agency will launch the PFAS OUT campaign to assist public water utilities with capital improvements needed to address PFAS contamination.