Utilities that serve around one-third of the United States will be required to purge their water systems of harmful “forever chemicals” as a result of new nationwide restrictions announced on Wednesday by the Biden administration.
This fulfills a crucial public health commitment made by President Joe Biden and is the greatest substantial improvement to the safety of the nation’s drinking water in 30 years. However, ratepayers will be responsible for covering a portion of the $1.5 billion annual cost.
Utilities will have five years to completely remove any trace amounts of two chemicals—PFOA or PFOS—that were used for many years in many different products, such as nonstick cookware, camping gear, and pizza boxes, but since then, they have been associated with cancer and many other health issues. Four more chemicals belonging to the same PFAS family will likewise be subject to stringent levels.
On a call with reporters, EPA Administrator Michael Regan praised the rule, calling it a “comprehensive and life-changing regulation,” and stated, “This action will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses.”
Communities affected by polluted water have been fighting for years for an enforced chemical limit, and this rule is a huge victory for them.
“This is huge, it’s monumental, it’s historic,” exclaimed Emily Donovan, a 47-year-old mother of twins and advocate hailing from Wilmington, North Carolina. Her community endured serious PFAS contamination due to a Chemours facility that dumped the chemicals into the Cape Fear River, which supplied water to her city, for many years. “The announcement made today will not change the past, but it will provide a more equitable and just future.”
For decades, PFAS—which are highly sought after for their stain and water resistance—have been present in almost every commercial product. Unfortunately, their practically indestructible environmental breakdown is a side effect of the very property that makes them so versatile in product design.
According to the EPA, 100 million Americans have had these chemicals leached into their drinking water. The pollution is most severe in areas close to factories and military bases, where personnel used chemically laden foam to practice putting out flames.
Both major parties are worried about the country’s massive PFAS problem. After promising the restrictions in 2018, the Trump administration dallied before finally, in response to congressional pressure, began the regulatory procedure for two of the substances.
Biden campaigned on a platform that included drinking water regulation as one of several measures to combat the chemicals in 2020.
The West Virginia senator and top Republican on the E&PW Committee, Shelley Moore Capito, was instrumental in getting the Trump and Biden administrations to do anything about the issue, but she was the one to trash the final version.
According to her statement, she has been advocating for a safe drinking water standard that is grounded in truth, scientific evidence, and does not unduly affect local populations for quite some time. “Regrettably, the administration’s standard that was set today fails to meet any of these criteria and adopts the incorrect approach. As a consequence, ratepayers will face higher costs for their local water systems.”
Production of PFOA and PFOS was phased out as harm proof accumulated, but hundreds of other variants of the chemicals have since replaced them. Although research on the potential health impacts of these compounds is in its infancy, scientists have already found cause for alarm.
Only six of these chemicals—PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX—have new, legally binding limits imposed by the new rule. Although the legislation would likely address the chemicals specifically mentioned, it is probable that it will also regulate other related compounds that contain PFAS.
In a similar vein, numerous treatment technologies that can deal with the above chemicals will also get rid of any undiscovered PFAS that may be in the water supply, along with any other contaminants, like disinfection byproducts associated to cancer. According to the EPA, between six and ten percent of water companies will have to invest in new or improved treatment facilities.
Along with establishing limitations for each of the five chemicals, the law incorporates a hazard index that requires treatment system modifications in the event that numerous PFAS are determined to be dangerous when combined, regardless of whether each chemical falls below its limit.
“This standard is a significant indication that the administration recognizes that these chemicals are related and have similar impacts, and have an additive effect,” said Erik Olson, senior strategic director for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s health program.
The regulation, however, will incur substantial expenses. Testing and plant modifications will add up to an annual implementation cost of $1.5 billion, according to the EPA. This is almost equal to the benefits estimated by the agency from 30,000 fewer illnesses and nearly 10,000 averted fatalities. This anticipated cost is about double the amount that the government had originally estimated for the proposed rule.
Plus, trade associations are arguing that the final price tag will be far higher. The American Water Works Association estimates that in order to meet the PFOA and PFOS limitations alone, the yearly cost could exceed $3 billion.
