On 18 May 2026, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule titled “Proposed PFOA and PFOS Compliance Extension Rule.” The EPA proposes to maintain the existing federal drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoro octane sulfonic acid (PFOS) while offering public water systems the option to request a two-year compliance extension, pushing the deadline to 2031. This aims to provide practical implementation flexibility for drinking water utilities. The agency is accepting written public comments until 20 July 2026 via the docket EPA-HQ-OW-2025-1742 on www.regulations.gov. A virtual public hearing is scheduled for 7 July 2026, where the public can provide verbal comments. Pre-registration to speak is required by 1 July 2026. The EPA will also hold a combined hearing for a related proposal to rescind regulatory determinations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and Hazard Index mixtures involving these PFAS and PFBS. The extension proposal addresses implementation challenges while upholding health protections against these “forever chemicals.”
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