The agency will continue regulating PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, but will extend compliance timelines. It has rescinded rules for four other PFAS chemicals.
By Megan Quinn, Senior Reporter, Waste Dive
The U.S. EPA will roll back significant parts of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation by rescinding four of the six chemicals named in the regulation.
The agency announced on Wednesday it will rescind and “reconsider” regulations for PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS and HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX. EPA says it plans to keep regulations for two other chemicals in the standard: PFOA and PFOS.
The announcement rolls back major parts of the drinking water rule set under the Biden administration last April, which set legally enforceable limits for the six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water. The EPA has said PFAS exposure can cause numerous health problems.
The drinking water rules have become the default standard for treating a range of wastewater categories. The standards are relevant to waste facility operators because of how the rules might affect leachate management and groundwater monitoring efforts, as well as how these facilities interact with wastewater treatment facilities. The regulations also represent business opportunities for waste companies that service industrial clients.
The EPA now plans to extend compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS, saying it would give drinking water system operators more time to develop plans for complying with maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for the two chemicals.
The agency is planning a new rulemaking process to propose extending that compliance date from 2029 to 2031. EPA said it may issue the proposed rule sometime this fall and finalize the rule in spring of 2026.
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