EPA Moves to Roll Back Drinking Water Limits on Forever Chemicals

The agency’s maneuver targets PFNA, PFHxS, GenX, and PFBS—substances that accumulate in human tissue and fail to biodegrade. While the EPA claims the move seeks to provide regulatory flexibility, environmental advocates argue it represents a calculated effort to bypass the Safe Drinking Water Act’s anti-backsliding provisions. These mandates strictly prohibit the agency from repealing established water standards.

Legal experts and public health groups are pushing back. Katherine O’Brien of Earthjustice criticized the policy as a prioritization of utility and chemical industry profits over the safety of families. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that approximately 105 million Americans currently consume water that exceeds these safety thresholds. Former EPA official Betsy Southerland warned that the rollback removes protections against chemicals linked to kidney cancer, liver damage, and developmental harm in children. Despite public pledges from high-ranking administration officials to reduce chemical exposure, the agency has simultaneously moved to approve new PFAS-based pesticides, drawing sharp condemnation from scientists who view the concurrent actions as a direct threat to national health.