EPA Announces Plan To Scale Back PFAS Drinking Water Limits

On May 14, 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") announced that it will rescind the nationwide Maximum Contaminant Levels ("MCLs") for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS") set by the agency in April 2024, with the exception of PFOA and PFOS. For those two chemicals, public water systems across the country will now have an additional two years to comply with the MCLs. In its announcement, EPA previewed the following anticipated actions related to the regulation of PFAS in drinking water:

• As noted above, the MCLs for PFOA and PFOS, two of the PFAS substances most regulated to date, will remain in place at 4 parts per trillion, although public water systems will now have an additional two years (until 2031, rather than 2029) to comply with these MCLs.