Breaking News: USEPA Intends to Rescind Drinking Water Regulations for Select PFAS
On May 14, 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced its intention to change the current National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).
PFAS are a group of synthetic organofluorine compounds with an extensive array of historical commercial, consumer, and industrial applications. On April 10, 2024, USEPA announced the final PFAS NPDWR, which established legally enforceable drinking water levels for select PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX) as individual contaminants, as well as mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS. The PFAS NPDWR gave public water systems until 2029 to comply with the newly established Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Roux previously covered the finalization of the PFAS NPDWR.
The USEPA announced that it plans to rescind the drinking water standards and reconsider the regulatory determinations for four PFAS: PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA, as well as for the mixture of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS. It was also announced that the current standards for PFOA and PFOS (the two PFAS most commonly found in drinking water systems per UCMR5) will be maintained, but that the USEPA intends to extend the compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS to 2031. The USEPA plans to issue a proposed rule in the Fall of 2025 and finalize this rule in the Spring of 2026.
If you’d like to understand how these developments impact the following points, please contact us below to be connected with an expert:
- Technical support for facility compliance;
- Human health risk assessment, including cancer and non-cancer effects; and
- Economic support quantifying liabilities and damages.
