PFAS Cleanup In Limbo Without Law

摘要

As the number of communities in the U.S. discovering high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water supplies continues to grow, industry and local officials are waiting on legislative and regulatory leadership to set limits and standards for this pollutant class. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA and PFOS. "The current lack of guidance on safe threshold levels, both federally and in many states, creates a challenging environment for utilities. They are left on their own to determine what are safe levels while facing public pressure to remove it all without raising rates—an impossible task," says Dustin Mobley, a process engineer with Black & Veatch, which is helping water utilities address PFAS chemicals in their systems.