Some states are struggling to make use of federal funding from the infrastructure law to help remove “forever chemicals” and other pollutants from tap water, EPA’s internal watchdog said in a report Thursday.
The 2021 law included $4 billion for states to address emerging water contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The money is being distributed by EPA to all U.S. states and territories.
But the agency’s guidance to states regarding how to use the money could be improved, according to the report from the EPA Office of Inspector General. Absent clearer guidance, states could face delays in getting federally funded water treatment projects off the ground that would benefit public health, the report said.
In particular, EPA has not sufficiently explained whether states must prioritize using the money to remove PFAS, a group of dangerous human-made pollutants, over other water contaminants like manganese and perchlorate, OIG said.
