EPA Moves Ahead ‘Forever Chemicals’ Regulation, Monitoring (1)

The EPA said Monday it’s moving forward with an unregulated contaminant monitoring rule for drinking water and final regulatory determinations for two types of “forever chemicals.”

All community water systems serving 3,300 people or more would have to monitor for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 under the proposed Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, or UCMR5, according to the pre-publication Federal Register notice.

The contaminants include lithium and 29 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The substances, used in products such as firefighting foam, nonstick products, and carpeting, don’t break down easily in water and can accumulate ...