Proposed PFOA and PFOS Compliance Extension Rule

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Proposed PFOA and PFOS Compliance Extension Rule

Proposed Rule Summary

On May 18, 2026, the EPA announced a proposed rule to uphold the federal drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) while strengthening practical implementation by providing an option for drinking water systems to request two additional years - to 2031 - to comply with the enforceable limits.

Following the proposed rule publishing in the Federal Register, the EPA will accept written comments on the proposed rule in the public docket for 60 days at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2025-1742. 

The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on July 7, 2026, where the public is invited to provide the EPA with verbal comments on the proposed rule. During the hearing, the agency will present information on the proposed rule and exemption schedule and then receive comments from the public. Registration to attend and/or provide verbal comment during the hearing is required and the last day to pre-register to provide public comment is July 1, 2026. Information and registration for the public hearing is available here. The EPA will post an agenda and list of pre-registered public commenters to this website no later than July 6, 2026. For questions related to the public hearing, please contact PFASNPDWR@epa.gov.  

The EPA is also currently proposing a rule to rescind the regulatory determinations and associated regulations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and Hazard Index mixtures of these three PFAS and PFBS. The public hearing for that proposed rulemaking will be held sequentially with this proposed PFOA and PFOS compliance extension public hearing. For those interested in attending and/or providing verbal public comment on both rules, there is a combined registration process. However, please note that each separate rule proposal has an individual rulemaking docket for written comments. Please ensure any written comments are submitted the specific docket associated with your comments.

Proposed Rule Supporting Materials

Proposed Rule Questions and Answers 

Why is the EPA issuing the proposed PFOA and PFOS MCL extension rule?

Many water systems simply need more time to comply with drinking water limits on PFOA and PFOS. To protect public health and instill confidence that drinking water is safe, drinking water systems addressing PFOA and PFOS generally require:

  • Robust drinking water quality data to diagnose the severity of contamination.
  • An understanding of compliance options, including changing source-water or installing new controls to remove PFOA and PFOS. 
  • Time to construct and test new controls.
  • A financing plan to invest in system changes while supporting fiscal responsibility and water affordability for customers.
  • A workforce dedicated to supporting construction, operation, and maintenance.

Without additional time for this work, costly violations could be levied. Such violations will not accelerate public health protections, rather they add paperwork and fees that distract from focused efforts on reducing exposure to PFOA and PFOS. Given that drinking water systems take their public health responsibilities seriously and are striving to comply with standards for PFOA and PFOS, systems that cannot comply by 2029 likely face real and significant challenges that will not be remedied by violations.

Additionally, extra time allows the cost of PFOA and PFOS removal technologies to come down via technological advancements and production efficiencies. This means cost-savings for everyday Americans paying their water bills.

What is the proposed Federal Exemption Framework?

The “federal exemption framework” is the mechanism for providing drinking water systems with an additional two years to comply with the enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS. This proposed mechanism would govern the process for systems to request and obtain a two-year federal exemption from the PFOA and PFOS MCLs in states, territories, and Tribes that have not obtained primacy for those MCLs. These exemptions can help ensure that drinking water systems have time to take the steps needed to comply by April 2031.

The proposed mechanism does not change the PFOA and PFOS MCLs established in the 2024 PFAS NPDWR which remain 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) each. However, as proposed in this regulation, those systems requesting and granted a federal exemption for the PFOA and PFOS MCLs would have two additional years to achieve compliance with these MCLs.

For drinking water systems granted the federal PFOA and PFOS MCL exemption, all monitoring and reporting of sample results are required to be met according to the timeframes under the final April 2024 PFAS NPDWR. For more specific information on exemptions, please see the  Proposed PFOA and PFOS Extension Rule FAQ for Water Systems and Primacy Agencies (pdf) (185.48 KB) .  

During this period, the EPA will continue to offer enhanced outreach and support to even more drinking water systems, especially those in rural and small communities, through EPA’s PFAS OUT and EPA’s RealWaterTA initiatives. These initiatives share resources, tools, funding, and technical assistance to ensure affordable and practical solutions are provided where they are needed, and all drinking water systems can come into compliance with the PFOA and PFOS drinking water standards.

If my water system has high levels of PFOA or PFOS will they get more time to comply with the MCLs? Are they required to take other actions?

Any eligible water system could receive more time under the proposed federal framework. Systems that are granted the extension are required to notify the people they serve of the extensions.

Ensuring public health protection during this interim time is critical. Under this proposal, drinking water systems with a PFOA or PFOS sample result at or above 12 ppt would be required to implement short-term mitigation actions to reduce exposure to their consumers during the exemption period.

Additionally, all drinking water systems with PFOA or PFOS sample results at or above the MCLs of 4.0 ppt are required under the 2024 PFAS NPDWR to conduct the most frequent monitoring, and community drinking water systems must provide PFOA and PFOS sample results to their customers annually or biannually. 

How would I know if my water system has more time to comply with the PFOA and PFOS MCLs?

If you are concerned about your water, the EPA recommends contacting your drinking water system to learn more. All drinking water systems operating under any exemption are required to notify the people they serve through annual Public Notification. Community drinking water systems are also required to notify their customers as part of their annual or biannual Consumer Confidence Reports. 

These notices and reports must contain information including reasons for why the exemption is in place and a brief description of the steps the system is taking to comply with the MCLs by the end of the exemption period (April 2031). 

If my water system receives more time, what can I do to reduce my risk of exposure to PFOA and PFOS during the period of the exemption?

Contact your water utility to find out your water system’s PFOA and PFOS levels and what actions the water system is taking to reduce PFOA and PFOS. 

Under the rule proposal, water systems with levels of PFOA and PFOS greater than 12 ppt would be required to take short-term actions to reduce levels of PFOA and PFOS. 

If you remain concerned about PFAS in your drinking water, consider steps you can take to reduce your risk to PFAS listed on EPA's Meaningful and Achievable Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Risk website. If you are concerned about your risk factors, talk to your doctor.

Is the EPA proposing any other changes to the PFOA and PFOS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) finalized in April 2024?

The EPA is upholding the federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS while strengthening practical implementation by providing an option for drinking water systems to request two additional years - to 2031 - to comply with enforceable limits. All monitoring and reporting of PFOA and PFOS sample results are required to be met according the timeframes under the the final April 2024 NPDWR.

Background

On April 10, 2024, the EPA announced the final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation that included legally enforceable drinking water MCLs for PFOA and PFOS, as well as PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and mixtures of these three PFAS and PFBS, requiring public water system MCL compliance by April 2029. In May 2025, EPA then announced its intent to extend the compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS and establish a federal exemption framework. Additionally, in May 2025, the EPA announced its intent to rescind the regulations and reconsider the regulatory determinations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX), and the Hazard Index mixture of these three PFAS plus PFBS to ensure the determinations and any resulting drinking water regulation follow the Safe Drinking Water Act process. The EPA is currently proposing a separate rulemaking to rescind these regulations. For more information on that proposed rulemaking, please see the Proposed PFAS Rescission Rule website.

Further Information

To learn more about PFAS and to find important background information to support understanding the details of specific actions the EPA takes to address PFAS and other emerging events related to PFAS.

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Last updated on May 18, 2026