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7/1/2026
WT Staff
 Got water questions? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email us at info@watertoday.ca
July 1, 2026 111 pm PDT
Taking on the whole set of 14,000 PFAS in CA drinking water
Optimism arises from recent study of novel entities, some PFAS less pervasive than expected
From the CA Water Boards guidance on PFAS:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 14,000 human-made substances (U.S. EPA CompTox) that are not naturally occurring and are resistant to heat, water, and oil. Due to their unique chemistry, PFAS have been widely used as surface coatings and protectant formulations in consumer, commercial, and industrial products such as carpet, home textiles, clothing, food packaging, and non-stick cookware. PFAS have also been used for industrial applications, such as a surfactant in chrome plating and for emergency response applications, such as in firefighting foam. In typical conditions, PFAS are resistant to degradation and do not break down in the environment.
Exposure to PFAS may result in adverse health effects including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy, cancer, liver effects, immune effects, thyroid effects, and other effects (such as cholesterol changes). In several national studies, PFAS have been found in the blood serum of nearly all people tested.
Years of study by the EPA and public drinking water facilities across the country determined PFAS a contaminant of concern. Six PFAS were added to National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, updating the Safe Drinking Water Act in April 2024. At this time, a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) was set. Public Drinking Water Facilities were granted the maximum adjustment period, five years to comply with the new federal regulations.
The Trump Administration challenged the EPA rules on PFAS in 2025, citing procedural errors, cancelled four of the six PFAS and extended compliance deadline on PFOA and PFOS for two more years, to April 2031.
Around this same time, CA Division of Drinking Water made its own study of PFAS in the environment, including drinking water supplies. The recommendations for PFAS in CA encompass the entire set of 14,000 novel entities, all determined harmful to human health.
PFAS A comparison of federal water regulations with CA water regulations features several distinctions. On all counts, CA requirements for public drinking water are more conservative, with lower levels of contaminants accepted as the maximum:
- aluminum - CA allows up to 1000 micrograms per liter, set in 1989. US EPA has no MCL for Al.
- barium - CA allows 1000 µ/l, as of 1977. US EPA amended the acceptable limit to 2000 µ/l in 1992.
- hexavalent chromium - the contaminant made famous by Erin Brokovitch, CA limits to 10 µ/l, US EPA had no MCL.
- total chromium - CA limits to 50 µ/l; US EPA amended to 100 µ/l in 1992
- cyanide - CA 150 µ/l; US EPA 200 µ/l
- fluoride - CA 2000 µ/l; US EPA 4000 µ/l
- nickel - CA 100 µ/l; US EPA has no MCL
- perchlorate - CA 6 µ/l; US EPA has no MCL
The outlook for PFAS removal is better than anticipated. Some of the PFAS were found less pervasive than expected, and the path to removing them is not as complex as our worst assumptions. Blair Robertson of CA Water Boards has written an article on the subject, here.
A national class action lawsuit in progress, Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2873)
District Court for the District of South Carolina, Master Docket No. 2:18-mn-2873-RMG has reached Phase 2 with Public Water System Claims Form filings due by July 31, 2026 for DuPont and 3M.
See a previous WT article on PFAS, here.
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