What the EPA's partial rollback of the 'forever chemical' drinking water
rule means
[May 15, 2025]
By MICHAEL PHILLIS
On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to
weaken limits on some harmful “forever chemicals” in drinking water
roughly a year after the Biden administration finalized the first-ever
national standards.
The Biden administration said last year the rules could reduce PFAS
exposure for millions of people. It was part of a broader push by
officials then to address drinking water quality by writing rules to
require the removal of toxic lead pipes and, after years of activist
concern, address the threat of forever chemicals.
President Donald Trump has sought fewer environmental rules and more oil
and gas development. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has carried out that
agenda by announcing massive regulatory rollbacks.
Now, we know the EPA plans to rescind limits for certain PFAS and
lengthen deadlines for two of the most common types. Here are some of
the essential things to know about PFAS chemicals and what the EPA
decided to do:
Please explain what PFAS are to me
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of
chemicals that have been around for decades and have now spread into the
nation’s air, water and soil.
They were manufactured by companies such as 3M, Chemours and others
because they were incredibly useful. They helped eggs slide across
nonstick frying pans, ensured that firefighting foam suffocates flames
and helped clothes withstand the rain and keep people dry.
The chemicals resist breaking down, however, which means they stay
around in the environment.
And why are they bad for humans?
Environmental activists say that PFAS manufacturers knew about the
health harms of PFAS long before they were made public. The same
attributes that make the chemicals so valuable – resistance to breakdown
– make them hazardous to people.
PFAS accumulates in the body, which is why the Biden administration set
limits for two common types, often called PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per
trillion that are phased out of manufacturing but still present in the
environment.
There is a wide range of health harms now associated with exposure to
certain PFAS. Cases of kidney disease, low-birth weight and high
cholesterol in addition to certain cancers can be prevented by removing
PFAS from water, according to the EPA.
The guidance on PFOA and PFOS has changed dramatically in recent years
as scientific understanding has advanced. The EPA in 2016, for example,
said the combined amount of the two substances should not exceed 70
parts per trillion. The Biden administration later said no amount is
safe.
There is nuance in what the EPA did
The EPA plans to scrap limits on three types of PFAS, some of which are
less well known. They include GenX substances commonly found in North
Carolina as well as substances called PFHxS and PFNA. There is also a
limit on a mixture of PFAS, which the agency is also planning to
rescind.
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Vials containing samples of forever chemicals, known as PFAS, sit in
a tray, April 10, 2024, at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
lab in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)
 It appears few utilities will be
impacted by the withdrawal of limits for these types of PFAS. So
far, sampling has found nearly 12% of U.S. water utilities are above
the Biden administration’s limits. But most utilities face problems
with PFOA or PFOS.
For the two commonly found types, PFOA and PFOS, the EPA will keep
the current limits in place but give utilities two more years —
until 2031 — to meet them.
Announcement is met with mixed reaction
Some environmental groups argue that the EPA can't legally weaken
the regulations. The Safe Water Drinking Act gives the EPA authority
to limit water contaminants, and it includes a provision meant to
prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.
“The law is very clear that the EPA can’t repeal or weaken the
drinking water standard,” said Erik Olson, a senior strategist at
the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.
Environmental activists have generally slammed the EPA for not
keeping the Biden-era rules in place, saying it will worsen public
health.
Industry had mixed reactions. The American Chemistry Council
questioned the Biden administration's underlying science that
supported the tight rules and said the Trump administration had
considered the concerns about cost and the underlying science.
“However, EPA’s actions only partially address this issue, and more
is needed to prevent significant impacts on local communities and
other unintended consequences,” the industry group said.
Leaders of two major utility industry groups, the American Water
Works Association and Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies,
said they supported the EPA's decision to rescind a novel approach
to limit a mix of chemicals. But they also said the changes do not
substantially reduce the cost of the PFAS rule.
Some utilities wanted a higher limit on PFOA and PFOS, according to
Mark White, drinking water leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.
They did, however, get an extension.
“This gives water pros more time to deal with the ones we know are
bad, and we are going to need more time. Some utilities are just
finding out now where they stand,” said Mike McGill, president of
WaterPIO, a water industry communications firm.
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