A proposed series of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other so-called ‘GenX chemicals’ are set to go into effect in the fall of 2023. Once the regulations are final, all public water systems will have three years to comply. But the EPA estimates between 3,400-6,300 public water systems will struggle to do so.

Compounding this struggle is the cost of investing in treatment. Federal regulation of PFAS poses yet another financial strain on U.S. water infrastructure, which is already burdened by an investment gap of approximately $434 billion between 2020 and 2029—about $48 billion per year. The installation and maintenance of systems required for compliance with new PFAS regulations is expected to cost close to an additional $1 billion per year.