PFAS Regulations’ Impact on Water & Wastewater Facilities | WWD Weekly Digest

While the Lead & Copper Rule Revisions are top of mind for water utilities, coming down the pike are per- and polyflouroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations for both water and wastewater utilities. In December, the U.S. EPA released its PFAS Action Plan, which created a roadmap for regulating 29 PFAS and lithium. While still early in the regulatory process, the intention of the EPA is clear, PFAS will be regulated.

Ally Cunningham is a partner with Lathrop GPM where she also leads the PFAS sub-group. She expounds on the current status of PFAS regulations and the challenges for EPA’s aggressive timeline. She also discusses the difficulties of regulatory talks getting too far ahead of the science for detection and treatment levels, and what that could mean for the industry at large. Cunningham also notes the regulatory effects beyond municipal facilities and how industrial facilities may be impacted as well.

Timestamps

Intro | 0:00
What are PFAS? | 0:31
Current regulatory status for PFAS regulation | 2:13
Reconciling the state level regulations with potential federal regulations | 3:14
Challenges with the EPA regulatory timeline | 4:42
Parts per quadrillion for detection & treatment? | 6:05
Treatment technology evolution to meet guidance documentation | 8:41
Liability concerns regarding disposal of PFAS | 11:22
Barriers for facilities to meet and comply with roadmap goals | 12:18
Any other PFAS elements to discuss? | 14:22
Outro | 15:48