EPA proposes giving some water systems until 2031 to meet federal PFAS limits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed allowing some public drinking-water systems to request up to two additional years to comply with federal limits for the chemicals PFOA and PFOS. For eligible systems, that could extend the compliance deadline to 2031.

The proposal, announced May 18, 2026, would keep the existing federal maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS in place. The agency’s proposed change concerns the timing of compliance for qualifying water systems, not a change to those limits.

What the proposal would do

Under the proposal, eligible drinking-water systems could ask EPA for as much as two additional years to meet the federal requirements. The potential compliance endpoint would therefore be 2031, according to the agency’s description of the proposed rule.

The rule would apply to public drinking-water systems under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act across the United States. That makes the proposal a nationwide regulatory issue for water providers that are subject to the federal requirements, although the source reviewed does not specify how many systems would qualify for an extension.

The distinction between the limits and the deadline is central. EPA says the proposal would preserve the maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS. It would not, as described by the agency, weaken those levels. Instead, it would create a possible extension of the time available for eligible systems to comply.

Where the proposal stands

EPA held a virtual public hearing on July 7, 2026. The public-comment period closed July 20. The agency’s rule page was last updated July 23, 2026, making the post-comment status the latest development identified in the approved record.

No final rule or final decision had been announced in the source reviewed. The extension therefore remains a proposal, and no water system can be described from this record as having received a final extension.

The end of the comment period means the public submission window identified by EPA has closed, but the source does not provide a date for a final agency action. It also does not identify which systems would be eligible, how many would seek extensions or how many residents or utilities could be affected.

Why the timing matters

For public drinking-water providers, a final version of the proposal could affect the timetable for meeting federal PFOA and PFOS requirements. Systems that qualify and receive approval could have additional time, while the federal maximum contaminant levels would remain in place under the proposal.

For people who rely on public water systems, the immediate development is a proposed change in compliance timing rather than a completed change to the federal limits. The source does not provide an estimate of affected residents, identify particular utilities or describe system-specific compliance plans.

EPA’s next known step is consideration of the proposal after the July 20 comment deadline. The approved record does not state when the agency will issue a final rule or whether the proposed extension will be adopted. Until that happens, the two-year extension and the possible 2031 deadline are not final requirements or permissions.