Chemical Makers Sue Over Rule to Rid Water of ‘Forever Chemicals’

Unsurprisingly, in the wake of new PFAS regulations, some in the industry are pushing back against the tough new treatment standards.

Great story in the New York Times on the topic: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/10/climate/pfas-forever-chemicals-lawsuit.html

On June 10, the New York Times reported a lawsuit by several chemical and manufacturing groups against the federal government over the per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) “Forever Chemical” drinking water standards announced by the EPA two months prior. The groups claim that the new regulations exceed the government’s authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring municipal water systems across the country to filter out some of the synthetic chemicals to near non-detectable levels.  

While the EPA has said that the new standard will prevent serious illness and even death for thousands of people, these groups, along with some utilities, have brought challenges against the standard, questioning the science behind it and citing the potential cost of filtering out the chemicals. The American Water Works Association and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies believe the EPA have “significantly underestimated” the cost for treatment plants to meet the new standards, with the EPA estimating about $1.5 billion annually to comply and utilities claiming it could cost twice that amount.  

Ahead of the filing, Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, in a public address defended the administration’s standards, stating: “Everyone should be able to turn on the tap and know that the glass of water they fill is safe to drink”. EPA officials also stated that the standard was based on the best available science and designed to be, “robust enough to withstand litigation”.