The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will revise a rule designed to limit so-called ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water, and will extend the deadline for compliance with existing rules on those chemicals by two years to 2029.
Under the prior Biden administration, the rule had mandated low levels be set for six different chemicals, including two that are most commonly associated withPFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
The chemical industry has filed a lawsuit against those rules.
The Trump EPA said the extension would help water systems nationwide, including in rural areas, to address the contaminants.
PFAS have been linked to cancer, hormonal imbalances, reduced vaccine response and developmental delays in children.
Traces of the chemicals have been found in the blood of 97% of Americans, and half of the US population is thought to be exposed to them in their drinking water, according to EPA data.
