The US EPA says that drinking water is only safe to consume if it contains less than 2,000 parts per trillion of PFBS and 10 ppt of GenX. The new levels are 4 parts per quadrillion for PFOA and 20 ppq for PFOS.
According to Ohio River Foundation Executive Director Rich Cogen, “This is a message to state regulatory agencies to review permit protocols and determine that certain classes of chemicals should not be permitted to flow into waterways at all in ANY quantity. The “solution to pollution is dilution” can no longer be the modus operandi.”
The agency also announced $1 billion in grant funding for small and disadvantaged communities dealing with PFAS contamination.
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EPA sets targets for slashing PFAS in drinking water
EPA today announced new drinking water health advisories for the four most notorious “forever chemicals,” a move meant to curb exposure to the toxic substances that could have broad implications for the military and municipalities.
“People on the front-lines of PFAS contamination have suffered for far too long,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. “That’s why EPA is taking aggressive action as part of a whole-of-government approach to prevent these chemicals from entering the environment and to help protect families from this pervasive challenge.”