Millions in the U.S. May Rely on PFAs-Contaminated Drinking Water

Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first national drinking water standards for six hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Last week, the Trump administration announced that it would delay the timeline for implementing limits on two of those compounds and reconsider the limits on the remaining four.

There are more than 15,000 types of PFAS, and a growing body of research underscores the urgency of addressing them in water supplies. For decades, manufacturers have added the chemicals to products ranging from nonstick cookware to firefighting foam, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals” for their resistance to breaking down over time. These compounds now linger in soil, waterways, and human bloodstreams, with mounting evidence linking exposure to certain levels to some types of cancer, immune system damage, and other human health issues. Yet until recently, no comprehensive estimate of PFAS contamination in U.S. groundwater was available.