EPA Imposes First Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

The Biden administration on Wednesday unveiled the first-ever national drinking water standard imposing limits on so-called forever chemicals that public water systems will have to implement.

The Environmental Protection Agency said the move would protect communities from harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—toxic synthetic chemicals that are called “forever chemicals” because they aren’t easily broken down in the environment or the human body. The agency estimates that between 6 percent and 10 percent of the country’s 66,000 public drinking water systems will be affected by the new rules, reducing about 100 million Americans’ exposure to PFAS.

The reduced exposure will in turn prevent thousands of deaths and avoid tens of thousands of serious illnesses, the EPA said. Most people in the U.S. have been exposed to PFAS, according to the agency, with studies showing that certain levels of exposure may cause reproductive issues, developmental delays in children, and an increased risk of some kinds of cancer.

Read more at The Daily Beast.