EPA Announces Illegal Plan to Eliminate Restrictions for Toxic PFAS in Drinking Water

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it intends to revoke and delay federal restrictions on PFAS in drinking water. Communities across the country continue to grapple with severe PFAS contamination in their drinking water, despite well-documented harms to human health caused by these toxic chemicals.

EPA intends to roll back the 2024 landmark regulations that set drinking water standards for the ‘forever chemicals’ known as GenX, PFNA, PFBS, and PFHxS. The agency also intends to delay the standards for PFOA and PFOS until 2031. Just last year, EPA determined that the standards for these 6 PFAS were necessary to protect public health and feasible to implement. EPA’s new plan would eliminate or substantially delay urgently needed protections for up to 105 million people across the country whose drinking water is contaminated with PFAS at levels exceeding the 2024 standards.

After decades of advocacy, communities harmed by PFAS contamination celebrated EPA’s 2024 standards — the first federal regulations to address widespread contamination of drinking water with PFAS. But lobbying groups for water utilities and chemical companies sued EPA to overturn the 2024 standards. That litigation is ongoing, and eight community groups represented by Earthjustice have intervened in the lawsuit to defend the 2024 standards.

“The Trump administration’s decision to green light the continued pollution of our drinking water with toxic PFAS while crowing about their commitment to making America healthy is a sick joke,” said Earthjustice attorney Katherine O’Brien. “This is an illegal and cynical move that will needlessly perpetuate the epidemic of disease from PFAS contamination across our country.”

PFAS don’t easily break down and can persist in our bodies and the environment for decades or more. EPA has known for decades that PFAS endangers human health. The chemicals — which are found in the drinking water consumed by more than half the U.S. population — are associated with serious health harms. Research links PFAS exposure to a wide range of serious health issues, including kidney and testicular cancer, endocrine disruption, and immune system suppression.

Quotes from Our Clients

“This current administration promised voters it would ‘Make America Healthy Again’ but rescinding part of the PFAS drinking water standards does no such thing. It’s disrespectful to PFAS contaminated communities who have suffered debilitating illnesses and devastating losses,” said Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear in North Carolina. “This is a clear victory for the trillion-dollar chemical industry — not public health. Americans need to call their members of congress immediately and demand action.”

“As a PFAS impacted community advocate who has been engaged in federal policy since the first ever EPA PFAS listening session in New Hampshire, I am stunned at this administration’s course moving us backwards. The national water standards for six PFAS are based on the most rigorous science and the EPA is fully aware of the harm to health from drinking water exposure,” said Laurene Allen, founder of Merrimack Citizens for Clean Water and 2025 Goldman Prize winner. “We are exposed as a class, keeping the focus on two legacy PFAS ignores the immense body of toxicological evidence the EPA has accrued is a travesty. In an administration that claims they will ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ today’s announcement is an insulting action that shows how reality is being manipulated for profits.”

“Studies and drinking water monitoring have showed multiple PFAS that are present in drinking water outside of just PFOA/PFOS. Rolling back any aspect of the PFAS drinking water standard threatens the safe drinking water of everyone living in the United States,” said Joanne Stanton, co-founder of Buxmont Coalition for Safer Water.