US tells states to test drinking water to save people from chemicals

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the first drinking water standard to protect people against toxic "forever chemicals."

The chemicals are found in many household and everyday items.

The EPA also announced that it will offer US$1 billion to states for public water system testing, its first major effort to prevent cancer-causing chemicals.

The final rule will affect 6 percent and 10 percent of the 66,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S.. It could expose the group of 15,000 chemicals known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to approximately 100 million people.

The agency said that tens of thousands of deaths linked to PFAS could be avoided.

PFAS, which do not easily break down in the human body or environment, are found in many consumer and commercial products, including non-stick pans, cosmetics, firefighting foams, and stain-resistant clothing.

In a statement, Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said, "The first national drinking water standards for PFAS marks a significant step towards delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advancing environmental justice, protecting communities, and securing clean water for people across the country."

Experts said releasing new regulations will encourage more PFAS-related litigation, with lawsuits accusing major chemical companies of polluting U.S. drinking water with toxic PFAS chemicals, leading to over $11 billion in settlements.

Almost half of U.S. tap water samples contain PFAS, according to a study released by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2023.

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