U.S. tap water has a $47 billion forever chemicals problem

By Lindsey Jacobson | CNBC | December 1, 2023

Read the full article by Lindsey Jacobson (CNBC)

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding some ‘forever chemicals’ to the list of toxins that must be reported by drinking water utilities. That is going to require a lot of infrastructure investment.

‘We are now in the process of establishing a drinking water standard for about six different PFAS,’ Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Water, told CNBC. PFAS is an abbreviation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Beginning Nov. 30, water quality reports due July 1, 2025, and onward must include information about the levels of PFAS above four parts per trillion in drinking water.

‘These per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, they’re made by different companies that take fluorine and they attach it to two carbon molecules and they stick around forever. That’s why they got the nickname “forever chemicals,”‘ explained Tom Neltner, senior director of safer chemicals at the Environmental Defense Fund."

This content provided by the PFAS Project.

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Remediation
• Filtration
• ImpactDrinking water
• ImpactDrinking waterPrivate wells
• Health
• AgenciesEPA
• PFAS Uses
• Disposal