EPA nationwide PFAS wastewater survey remains stalled

A planned nationwide Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study to measure PFAS levels in municipal wastewater and sewage sludge remains stalled. The proposed study, known as the POTW Influent PFAS Study, was intended to sample hundreds of publicly owned treatment works to identify which industrial sectors are discharging these chemicals into the water supply.

Reports indicate the information collection request has been under review by the Office of Management and Budget since October 2024. Former EPA and OMB officials have described the length of this review as highly unusual. Critics and former officials suggest that political interference during the previous administration delayed the rollout, preventing the creation of a national baseline for PFAS occurrence.

The lack of comprehensive federal data complicates efforts to identify contamination hot spots, set enforceable regulatory limits, and prioritize remediation. While the EPA has released draft guidance for managing biosolids containing PFOA and PFOS, wastewater utilities continue to struggle with management challenges, as conventional treatment processes are generally not designed to destroy these chemicals.