Newsweek, May 2026
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to scrap regulations for four types of ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water systems, as well as giving systems more time to comply with other measures, sparking concern from public health experts. On Monday, the EPA announced two new proposals that seek to revoke Biden-era regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in America’s drinking water systems.
The first would rescind regulations of four different types of PFAS chemicals, which the agency said had been implemented via an “unlawful procedure”. The second would allow eligible drinking water systems to apply for up to two additional years—shifting deadlines from 2029 to 2031—to comply with limits the agency set in 2024 for two PFAS chemicals: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
