The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump is moving to ease limits on certain “forever chemicals” in drinking water, dialing back some rules that were finalized last year. Wednesday’s announcement marks a shift from the Biden administration, which set federal drinking water limits for PFAS due to their health risks.
According to the EPA, more than 158 million Americans have been exposed to PFAS through their drinking water.
Trump administration scales back Biden-era policies at EPA
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency remains focused on addressing PFAS in drinking water, while complying with federal law and making regulatory requirements achievable for water systems.
“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water,” he said. “This will support water systems across the country, including small systems in rural communities, as they work to address these contaminants. EPA will also continue to use its regulatory and enforcement tools to hold polluters accountable.”
Clean Water Action President and CEO Jeff Carter said weakening drinking water protections is putting communities across the country at risk. The organization has been focused on protecting drinking water since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972.
“This retreat by the Trump administration flies in the face of overwhelming evidence that PFAS chemicals in drinking water pose numerous health risks,” Carter said. “With over 100 million people currently exposed to PFAS chemicals in their drinking water, EPA should be focused on getting these chemicals out of the environment and out of use rather than on reversing Safe Drinking Water Act limits.”
The National Rural Water Association said the EPA has done the right thing for rural communities.
“This commonsense decision provides the additional time that water system managers need to identify affordable treatment technologies and make sure they are on a sustainable path to compliance,” CEO Matthew Holmes said.
What were the regulations under Biden?
Under President Biden, the EPA began setting national standards for the most common PFAS chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS. PFOA is a known human carcinogen, while PFOS is considered likely to cause cancer.
On April 10, 2024, the agency made those limits legally enforceable, giving water systems until 2029 to comply. Under the new regulations, 66,000 public water systems would be required to comply, prompting trade associations to file a lawsuit against the EPA. The lawsuit argues that the time provided to meet the new requirements is insufficient.
Citing no safe level of exposure to PFOA or PFOS, the EPA also set limits for five individual PFAS chemicals and a combined limit for mixtures of four others. Water systems must test for all six regulated PFAS and publicly report whether they meet the new standards.
What do the changes mean?
Fast forward to 2025: The EPA is now planning to delay the deadline for meeting drinking water limits on PFOA and PFOS from 2029 to 2031, aiming to give local water systems more time to comply. The agency also plans to roll out an exemption process and launch a new outreach program to better support small and rural communities.
At the same time, the EPA will withdraw and reevaluate its current rules for other PFAS chemicals, like PFNA, GenX and PFBS, as it looks to update how these substances are regulated in drinking water.
The EPA is continuing its efforts to tackle PFAS contamination through the “PFAS OUT” initiative, which collaborates with public water utilities to help filter out these harmful forever chemicals from their systems.
What are PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’?
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widely used chemicals that break down very slowly, making them long-lasting in the environment. They’ve been found in the blood of both humans and animals. With thousands of types used in everyday products, it’s difficult for scientists to fully understand all the health risks.
According to the FDA, PFAS can enter food when crops or animals are grown in contaminated soil or water. They can also leach into food in smaller amounts from packaging, cooking tools or processing equipment.
