EPA proposes new PFAS drinking water rules and $1 billion grant program

On 18 May 2026 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued two proposed rules that would reshape the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The first rule keeps the existing maximum contaminant levels of 4 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and extends compliance deadlines from 26 April 2029 to 26 April 2031 for systems that demonstrate financial or technical hardship, particularly small, rural, or disadvantaged communities. The second rule would rescind the regulatory determinations, maximum contaminant level goals, and limits for four additional PFAS—PFHxS, PFNA, GenX (HFPO‑DA) and a hazard‑index mixture that includes PFBS—citing procedural defects in the original 2024 rule and pledging a re‑evaluation through the proper statutory process.

Alongside the rule proposals, EPA announced nearly US$1 billion in grant funding through its Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities program to help water systems install PFAS treatment technologies. The agency also released updated PFAS destruction and disposal guidance, outlining approved methods such as thermal destruction, landfilling, and underground injection, and introduced a new framework for assessing emerging remediation tools. A virtual public hearing is scheduled for 7 July 2026, with comments due by 20 July 2026.

State‑level action is also highlighted, with the “Maine model” cited as a proactive approach that bans PFAS from consumer products before they are manufactured, positioning it as a gold‑standard for other states seeking to curb “forever chemicals.”