PFAS in drinking water: EPA's proposals to rescind four standards and delay PFOA and PFOS compliance (2025-2026)

Case

The Biden EPA's 2024 drinking-water rule set limits for six PFAS ("forever chemicals"), including 4 parts per trillion each for PFOA and PFOS. In May 2026 the Trump EPA proposed two rules: one would rescind the standards for four of them, and the other would keep the PFOA and PFOS limits but let eligible water systems seek a two-year compliance extension. The 2024 standards remain in place while the proposals are pending.

The 2024 rule and EPA's 2025-2026 changes
The 2024 PFAS drinking-water rule set enforceable limits for six PFAS, including 4 parts per trillion each for PFOA and PFOS, effectively the lowest level at which they can be reliably detected. The Biden-era EPA estimated the rule would cost about $1.5 billion a year to implement.
In May 2025 EPA said it planned to weaken limits on some PFAS while maintaining the standards for PFOA and PFOS. The Safe Drinking Water Act includes a provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones.
On May 18, 2026 EPA announced two proposed rules, published May 20. One would rescind the standards for four PFAS (PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA or GenX, and a mixture including PFBS). The other would keep PFOA and PFOS at 4 parts per trillion but let eligible water systems seek a two-year extension to comply.
EPA says the 2024 rule failed to follow Safe Drinking Water Act procedure because EPA proposed and finalized the regulatory determinations and standards at the same time rather than in sequence. Zeldin said the Biden administration cut corners and failed to follow the law.
EPA says the rescission would be followed by re-evaluation, and that future standards could become more stringent. The extension would not be automatic, and systems with PFOA or PFOS at or above 12 parts per trillion that request one would have to put interim control measures in place.

Objections and next steps
Critics argue the law allows a maximum of five years for water systems to comply with a standard, which would make the proposed exemption framework potentially unlawful on its face.
Public comments closed July 20, 2026, after a July 7 virtual hearing. The 2024 standards remain fully in place for now.
Several industry groups continue to challenge the 2024 rule in court, and states have begun setting their own PFAS drinking-water standards, which differ widely.
An activist quoted in the AP report on the 2025 announcement said the administration promised to make America healthy again but that rescinding part of the standards does no such thing.

What the sources do not establish
The sources reviewed do not show the final status of either proposal or EPA's estimate of the proposals' health effects.

Perspectives

Official position — EPA and Administrator Lee Zeldin
EPA says the Biden administration cut corners and failed to follow the law in setting portions of the 2024 PFAS rule, that rescinding the four standards would allow a legally defensible, science-based re-evaluation that could end in stricter standards, and that it is keeping the PFOA and PFOS limits while allowing non-automatic two-year extensions.

Critic — Advocates and legal commentators
Critics point to the Safe Drinking Water Act provision meant to prevent new rules from being looser than previous ones, and say the law allows a maximum of five years for compliance, making the proposed exemption framework potentially unlawful. An activist quoted by AP said rescinding part of the standards does not make America healthy.

Defender — Industry groups and organizations quoted by ESE Magazine
Several industry groups continue to challenge the 2024 rule in court. Organizations quoted by ESE Magazine said the new proposals provide an opportunity for additional public input while supporting more scientifically robust drinking-water standards.

Editorial read — The Author (site author)
The Author's view is that drinking-water limits for PFAS should not be weakened or delayed while the chemicals remain in water supplies. This is interpretation. EPA says four standards were procedurally flawed, that the PFOA and PFOS limits would stay, and that future limits could be stricter; the 2024 standards remain in place for now.

Research notes
Open leads: (1) The final status of both May 2026 proposals after the July 20, 2026 comment deadline; (2) the D.C. Circuit litigation over the 2024 rule; (3) state-level PFAS standards, which the sources say vary widely; (4) EPA's May 2025 announcement is cited from an AP-style report on a local TV site, and the original EPA release was not reviewed; (5) law-firm summaries are used for the legal details and should be checked against the Federal Register notices.

Note
EPA says the Biden administration cut corners and failed to follow Safe Drinking Water Act procedures in setting four of the standards, and that future standards could be more stringent after re-evaluation. Critics say the Safe Drinking Water Act has a provision meant to prevent rules from being weakened and that a compliance extension may exceed the five years the law allows. Industry groups are separately challenging the 2024 rule in court.

Sources
[1] ABC11 (AP): EPA announces rollback for some Biden-era limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water (https://abc11.com/post/environmental-protection-agency-announces-rollback-biden-era-limits-forever-chemicals-pfas-drinking-water/16416469/) · 2025-05
[2] Jones Day: EPA Proposes to Rescind Certain PFAS Drinking Water Standards and Extend Compliance Deadlines for PFOA and PFOS (https://www.jonesday.com/en/insights/2026/05/epa-proposes-to-rescind-certain-pfas-drinking-water-standards-and-extend-compliance-deadlines-for-pfoa-and-pfos) · 2026-05-20
[3] Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine: EPA proposes PFAS rule rollback while extending compliance timeline for PFOA and PFOS (https://esemag.com/water/epa-proposes-pfas-rule-rollback-extending-compliance-timeline-pfoa-pfos/) · 2026-05
[4] MG+M The Law Firm: EPA Proposes Rollback of Biden-Era PFAS Drinking Water Standards: Key Developments and Compliance Implications (https://mgmlaw.com/news-insights/epa-proposes-rollback-of-biden-era-pfas-drinking-water-standards-key-developments-and-compliance-implications) · 2026-06-24

Connections

Related — Chemical-industry alumni running EPA's chemical office: Nancy Beck, Lynn Dekleva and others (2017-2026)
That entry covers the chemical-industry alumni running EPA's chemical-safety office, where PFAS policy is also set.

Same context — Environmental deregulation under EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
The PFAS proposals are part of the broader Zeldin-era rollback of Biden-era health and environmental rules.