Ann Arbor Times

On March 14, 2023, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed drinking water regulations for PFAS. The good news is Ann Arbor already meets EPA's proposed PFAS regulations and produces water that is protective of public health. All of the PFAS compounds included in the proposed rule are consistently undetectable in Ann Arbor's finished drinking water or below the EPA's proposed practical quantitation limits. The proposed rule would hold utilities to an even higher standard of water quality than Michigan's existing PFAS regulations, as it contains lower Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOS and PFOA and includes a Hazard Index to track four compounds as a mixture (PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX also known as HFPO-DA). It will be several years before utilities will have to meet these proposed rules. 

We are well positioned to meet these regulations today because of work and investments we made in 2018-2019 to replace the media in our filters with optimal Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) for PFAS removal. We also continue to regenerate our media every three years to meet our own internal water quality goals that hold us to a higher standard than regulations require.  

Ann Arbor Water staff take public health very seriously. The new proposed rule confirms the actions we have previously taken for PFAS removal are protective of public health. 

For more information, see EPA's fact sheet on the proposed PFAS regulations https://www.epa.gov/.../Fact%20Sheet_PFAS_NPWDR_Final_3....

We will also update our PFAS website as more information becomes available www.a2gov.org/PFAS.

Original source can be found here.