The EPA set its first-ever drinking water limits for five types of PFAS chemicals, and nearly 50 of Texas public water systems have reported exceeding the new limits for at least one.
A cascade aerator at a Texas wastewater plant. Nearly 50 water utilities around Texas have reported levels of PFAS chemicals that exceed a new federal limit.In Texas, 49 public water utility systems have reported surpassing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ’s first-ever limits for five “forever chemicals” in drinking water, according to data submitted to the federal agency.PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widespread and long lasting in the environment.
The new standards will require all public water utility systems to submit PFAS data to the EPA. So far, only about 24% of them. EPA expects all data to be submitted by 2026. In Texas, more than 420 public water systems have submitted PFAS results to the federal agency and 113 of them detected some level of PFAS in the water.
Public water systems will have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals and will be required to inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Fort Worth’s water system “To be honest, there's not a lot of technologies available for and the cost to implement the technology is going to be very expensive,” Gugliuzza said.
Gage Zobell, a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney, has been following the EPA’s PFAS regulations closely. The firm, which has an office in Dallas, represents some Texas utilities as well as 3M, a company that has been a major contributor to the production of PFAS. Viraj deSilva, a PFAS expert and senior treatment process leader at Freese and Nichols, a consulting and engineering firm, said Texas had been a bit slow to pursue PFAS treatment because the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the state’s environmental agency, was waiting for federal limits to be finalized. He said companies that provide treatment for PFAS will now be in high demand and cities must take action now.
Environment Water Supply Environmental Protection Agency Abilene Arlington Baytown Dallas Deer Park Fort Worth Grapevine Texas Legislature
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