The state is considering a step it’s never taken in its history in an effort to keep drinking water safe and clean.
Justin Heinze, Patch Staff
PENNSYLVANIA — A new drinking water health standard has been proposed in Pennsylvania that officials are hopeful will protect residents from PFAS, long-lasting chemicals used in certain products that leak into the groundwater. The step is described as “unprecedented” as Pennsylvania has never set a state-level specific limit for a substance in drinking water.
The new rule would set a maximum contaminant level of 18 parts per trillion for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and 14 perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Both are stricter than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ruling of 70 ppt.
Pennsylvania leaders say they are at the forefront of limiting PFAS in drinking water.https://293baf1e9e16382e14bec7326f5d42a2.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
“Since Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order in 2018, DEP has worked tirelessly to protect Pennsylvanians from these chemicals,” DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement.
A 60-day public comment period began on Saturday for residents to evaluate the new proposal.
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