As EPA rolls back the first federal limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water, a new test for the Trump administration is coming into focus: How will it force polluters to pay for contamination?
EPA’s decision to delay and reconsider the drinking water regulation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, will reduce costs for water utilities and consumers, Administrator Lee Zeldin said last week. It will be paired with other actions to “hold polluters accountable,” he said.
But utilities say the savings will be minimal, because the agency will still require the removal of two forever chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, from drinking water. Others worry that redoing the drinking water rule just finalized last year could embolden some entities deemed responsible for PFAS pollution to further resist paying for cleanup.
All told, the Trump administration has a daunting task ahead if it’s committed to holding polluters accountable and stopping PFAS from entering water supplies — especially considering Zeldin’s intent to cut EPA funding.
