EPA keeps PFOA and PFOS limits, proposes a 2031 deadline option

What did EPA propose, and where does it stand as of October 30, 2026?

EPA proposed to keep the PFOA and PFOS drinking water limits and add a way for water systems to get two more years to meet them. As of October 30, 2026, EPA’s page still calls this a proposed rule. The comment period closed July 20, 2026. We found no final rule on EPA’s page.

EPA announced the proposal on May 18, 2026. In its words, the rule would “uphold the federal drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs)” for PFOA and PFOS while providing “an option for drinking water systems to request two additional years - to 2031 - to comply.” EPA’s page was last updated October 8, 2026. This status can change. Check the EPA page before you act on it.

Did the PFOA and PFOS limits change?

No. EPA says the proposal “does not change” the limits set in its 2024 rule. Both stay at 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt). A maximum contaminant level is the legal limit for a contaminant in public drinking water.

One ppt is one part in a trillion. See parts per trillion for a plain explanation.

How would the two extra years work?

A system would ask for a federal exemption. EPA calls it the “federal exemption framework.” It would let eligible systems in states and tribes without primacy for those limits request and obtain a two-year exemption. The aim is to give them time to comply by April 2031.

Systems that get the extension must tell the people they serve. EPA says they have to do it through annual public notification, and community systems must also say so in their Consumer Confidence Reports. The notices must explain why the exemption is in place and what steps the system is taking.

EPA’s stated reasons: systems need data, time to build new controls, and a financing plan. The agency says systems that cannot comply by 2029 “likely face real and significant challenges.”

What would still be required during the extension?

Monitoring, reporting and, for higher results, short-term action. EPA says exempt systems must still meet all monitoring and reporting timeframes of the 2024 rule. Under the proposal, a system with a PFOA or PFOS result at or above 12 ppt would have to take short-term steps to reduce exposure. Systems at or above 4.0 ppt must still monitor most often and report results to customers.

What about the other PFAS in the 2024 rule?

EPA is handling those in a separate proposal. It proposes to rescind the rules for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX) and the Hazard Index mixture of those three plus PFBS. The public hearing and comment period for that rescission ran alongside this one. That proposal is not the topic of this post. EPA’s PFAS page lists it as a second action announced May 18, 2026.

What should a property owner or business do now?

Do not wait for the final rule to learn your water. These steps are practical and do not depend on the outcome:

1. Ask your water utility for its PFOA and PFOS results. EPA recommends contacting your drinking water system.
2. If you use a private well, no utility report applies to you. A lab test is how you learn your levels.
3. If you own a site with a possible PFAS source, get a site assessment before you plan cleanup budgets.
4. Learn to read your results. See our post on how to read a PFAS lab report.

The limits apply to public water systems. Our guide to the PFAS drinking water rule explains where the limit applies and where it does not.

What is the timeline so far?

Here are the dates that EPA’s pages give, as of October 30, 2026:

Dates after today’s check can change what applies. EPA’s page on the proposal lists a last update of October 8, 2026.

Next step

Advanced Environmental Services offers PFAS testing, PFAS remediation and emergency response. Read our PFAS regulations page, then call (314) 865-2662 or use the quote form at /contact. Our team is available 24/7 for urgent cleanup needs.