EPA proposes first-ever national limits on "forever chemicals" in drinking water

The Biden administration is proposing the first-ever national standard for six "forever chemicals" in drinking water,  the Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday. Per- and polyfluorinated substances are a group of compounds knowns as PFAS found in multiple water sources and can cause ailments like cancer, liver disease and more. 

The planned regulation would establish legally enforceable levels for six PFAS known to occur in drinking water and builds on previous EPA proposals and regulations, the agency said in a news release. 

The proposal, if finalized, would regulate two PFAS compounds as "individual contaminants," which would be regulated at four parts per trillion. Four other PFAS compounds would be deemed "a mixture," and would limit the combined levels of those substances in water. Systems would also have to notify the public and work to reduce contamination if levels exceed the proposed regulatory standards, the EPA said.