US moves to limit toxic chemicals in water

The US Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the amount of "forever chemicals" in drinking water, which are estimated to be contaminating 200 million Americans' drinking water and causing serious illnesses, including cancer, heart attacks and birth complications.

The new rule intends to set drinking water standards for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals". PFAS are a family of ubiquitous synthetic chemicals that linger in the environment and the human body, which is why they are called "forever''.

A study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2007 found that PFAS chemicals could be found in 98 percent of the US population. The chemicals can primarily settle in the blood, kidneys and liver, and exposure can lead to serious health problems like cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, liver damage and hormone suppression, the EPA said.

The chemicals had been widely used in the US since the 1940s in hundreds of common household items, where they help repel water and oil. They can be found in water-repellent clothes, furniture and carpet, in nonstick pans, paints, cosmetics, cleaning products and food packaging, and in firefighting foams.

Their use in the US has been mostly phased out, but some remain, and that's why they are called "forever chemicals".

The plan marks the first time that the EPA has proposed regulating a toxic group of compounds that are widespread, dangerous and expensive to remove from drinking water. The agency estimates that the rule could reduce PFAS exposure for nearly 100 million Americans.

"The science is clear that long-term exposure to PFAS is linked to significant health risks," said Radhika Fox, assistant EPA administrator for water, in an interview.

Although there are thousands of PFAS chemicals, according to the National Institutes of Health, under the rule, water systems would have to monitor for six specific chemicals, notify the public about PFAS levels, and work to reduce them if levels go above the standard allowed.

The public will have a chance to comment, and the agency can make changes before issuing a final rule, which is expected by the end of the year. Public water systems generally have three years from the date of the regulation to comply, the agency said.

The proposal would regulate two chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, at 4 parts per trillion (ppt). For PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX chemicals, the EPA proposes not one standard for each but a limit for a mix of them.

Water systems would have to determine whether the levels of the PFAS pose a potential risk. They may need to install treatment or take other action to reduce PFAS to comply, the agency said.

A replacement that many chemical companies have been using, GenX, may also be problematic, according to the EPA. Animal studies have shown that it may affect the liver, kidneys and immune system and might be linked to cancer.

In June, for the first time, the EPA issued final advisories for limits in drinking water of GenX.

As part of the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, $10 billion was made available for the cleanup of contaminants like PFAS in drinking water. In February, the EPA also announced $2 billion available to address contaminants like PFAS in drinking water in small, rural and disadvantaged communities.

The American Chemistry Council, an association that represents chemical makers, said that PFOA and PFOS were phased out of production by its members more than eight years ago.

"We support restrictions on their use globally, and we support drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS based on the best available science," the council said in an email to CNN. It does, however, say that it has "serious concerns" about the science that the EPA used to create the rule that it calls "conservative".

The EPA is catching up to 10 states that have enforceable drinking water standards for the chemicals: Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Agencies contributed to this story.