EPA Gives Final PFAS Ruling

EPA Gives Final PFAS Ruling

Last Wednesday the EPA announced that strict nationwide limits have been set on the presence of certain "forever chemicals" in drinking water. The EPA now requires that the levels of two common PFAS types—PFOA and PFOS—must not exceed 4 parts per trillion, while three other types will be capped at 10 parts per trillion in public water supplies. This decision impacts many water treatment systems across the U.S.— between 4,100 and 6,700 of them will need to upgrade their facilities to comply with these new standards. The EPA estimates that 100 million Americans will benefit from this reduced exposure.

We found that the EPA’s own fact sheet was actually super helpful in understanding what this all means. Here are some takeaways:

• New Rules

  • EPA sets limits on five PFAS chemicals: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (GenX).

  • Sets a combined Hazard Index for mixtures of PFAS.

• Timing

  • Monitor: Water systems have 3 years to monitor and report PFAS levels.

  • Treat: Systems exceeding PFAS limits have 5 years to implement treatment solutions.

  • Notify: Public must be notified if PFAS levels are above the standards.

• Financials

  • Estimated savings from all the health benefits are around $1.5 billion annually, but the costs to do this are also estimated at $1.5 billion annually.

  • The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) gives $9 billion to assist communities affected by PFAS.

  • Another $12 billion available for general drinking water improvements.

  • A new $1 billion grant program helps small or disadvantaged communities test and treat PFAS.

• How to do it

  • Existing filtration methods like activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange can remove PFAS.

  • Systems can choose the best local solutions, which includes closing contaminated wells.

OUR TAKE: We think this regulation will crank up the attention (and therefore business) in the industry because there will be more demand for updated systems that meet these new requirements. What do you think? Reply to this email and let us know, we’ll read all of the responses (we promise).

Wrap It Up & Stand Out (Sponsored)

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Salt-Free Filtration

In their recent article, King Water Filtration talks about why they think their salt-free systems are a groundbreaking alternative for water treatment. Unlike traditional salt-based methods, King Water’s salt-free systems use phosphorus injection and catalytic ionization to prevent mineral buildup. This means no more lugging heavy salt bags, lower maintenance, and no added sodium—ideal for those on sodium-restricted diets. They say that these systems not only reduce environmental impact but also maintain high performance in removing water hardness, benefiting everything from skin to appliances.

Related: this Reddit post in r/WaterTreatment with comments saying why not use King Water

Forbes: Best RO Filters of 2024

After reviewing 150+ systems and scoring on 30 different attributes, the Forbes Home team has released their top RO water filters of 2024. They highlight how RO systems are super effective at purifying water—removing up to 99% of harmful contaminants like bacteria and chemicals. 

Their top picks:

• Best Rated: Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact

• Best Budget: APEC ROES-50 Essence

• Best Splurge: Home Master HydroPerfection (sweet name)

What else is happening:

• Water Filter Guru answers if hard water causes kidney stones (spoiler: it doesn’t)

• BOROUX launches the “legacy.™ Water Filter System”, a $300 and 3-gal capacity gravity-fed system

• bobvila.com gives the “cold, hard facts” about what to know when deciding to install a water softener