Read the full article by Jeff Werner (Patch)
“HARRISBURG, PA — In a first of its kind rulemaking, Pennsylvania has adopted new regulations to protect Pennsylvanians’ drinking water from PFAS chemicals by setting new limits on two forms of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The new rule sets maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in drinking water for two forms of PFAS – perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – in order to protect the public from potential adverse health effects linked to exposure to PFOA and PFOS.
‘Since Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order in 2018, DEP has been committed to protecting Pennsylvanians from the adverse impacts of PFAS. We are still learning more about these chemicals, and these new MCLs are a step in the right direction,’ said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh.
The rule sets an MCL of 14 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and an MCL of 18 ppt for PFOS. The MCLs are intended to protect against adverse developmental effects (including neurobehavioral and skeletal effects), and adverse immune system effects (including immune suppression). The rule also specifies requirements to ensure compliance with the MCLs, including monitoring and reporting, analytical requirements and approved treatment technologies.
… The MCLs for PFOA and PFOS apply to all 3,117 community, nontransient noncommunity, bottled, vended, retail, and bulk public water systems. Of these, 1,905 are community water systems, serving a combined population of approximately 11.4 million residents; another 1,096 are nontransient noncommunity water systems (businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities) serving approximately 507,000 people.”…