EPA Rescinds Four PFAS Drinking Water Limits

The United States Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal on May 18, 2026, to rescind drinking water limits for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): GenX, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFBS. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated the 2024 Biden-era regulations were implemented illegally because the previous administration failed to follow the procedural requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency intends to restart the rule-making process for these four chemicals, noting that future standards could potentially be stricter.

While the EPA will maintain the strictest limits for PFOA and PFOS, it will allow water utilities to request an extension to comply by 2031, moving the original 2029 deadline. Zeldin argued this prevents utilities from passing costs to consumers. To support these systems, the agency announced nearly $1 billion in new grants, including allocations of $44.3 million for Colorado, $21.3 million for Illinois, $15.3 million for Wisconsin, and $9.5 million for Vermont.

Public health advocates and organizations, including the Environmental Working Group and Natural Resources Defense Council, condemned the move as a betrayal of public health and a concession to chemical industry lobbyists. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the plan, linking it to the Make America Healthy Again agenda and denying that protections were being rolled back. The proposal is open for public comment for 60 days, with a public hearing scheduled for July 7, 2026.