The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it is delaying the timeline for water utilities to comply with reducing some PFAS chemicals, in drinking water — and reconsidering the allowable levels for others.

In April 2024, the EPA under the Biden Administration set limits on certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, requiring community water systems to find alternative water sources or install filtration systems to remove them. It was the first time the agency had set enforceable caps on PFAS in drinking water, and water utilities were required to comply by 2029.

Now, the EPA is proposing to extend the compliance deadline to 2031 for two of the most common PFAS chemicals – PFOZ and PFOS.  And it’s rescinding and reconsidering the limits for the other four PFAS chemicals listed in the initial Biden regulation.

The EPA estimates that 6-10% of water systems serve water with excess PFAS levels, according to the 2024 regulations, affecting some 100 million people in the U.S.

According to EPA analysis, it would cost $1.5 billion a year for water companies to comply with the regulation.