A North Carolina teacher’s cancer diagnosis and a surge in contaminated drinking water systems highlight the stakes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepares to defend or alter its limits on PFAS chemicals.
Michael Phillis reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The EPA is set to decide whether to uphold or weaken strict drinking water limits on PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which the Biden administration finalized in 2023.
- Nearly 12% of water systems tested above the new limits, triggering a backlash from industry groups who claim the costs — estimated at $1.5 billion annually — are unmanageable, especially for small utilities.
- Communities like Wilmington, North Carolina, have already invested in costly filtration to remove PFAS linked to cancer and other health risks, as the chemicals remain widespread in the environment due to decades of industrial use.
Key quote:
“If we enter into a gray area over what’s healthy and what’s not healthy, then utilities are at risk of being caught up in a debate for which they have no real responsibility nor expertise to decide on.”
— Karine Rougé, CEO for municipal water at Veolia North America
Why this matters:
Even at very low levels, exposure to PFAS chemicals has been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, and developmental effects in infants and children. People living near military bases, industrial sites, or contaminated rivers — like the Cape Fear in North Carolina — often rely on public utilities that have struggled to keep up with new standards. As federal regulators reconsider how strict to be, the decision will shape what millions drink from their taps every day. While some utilities have made progress in removing PFAS, others may now delay action, leaving vulnerable populations exposed to water tainted with invisible, toxic chemicals.
Related EHN coverage: Where did the PFAS in your blood come from? These computer models offer clues
