Major Drinking Water Advisory Group Releases PFAS Guidance Document

Jun 23, 2020 | PFAS

The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) recently released its “PFAS – Source Water Protection Guide and Toolkit“, which contains information regarding PFAS, state efforts thus far to regulate PFAS in drinking water, and recommendations that will ultimately be submitted to the EPA for its consideration for PFAS drinking water regulations.  Among the recommendations, the ASDWA advocates for a continued emphasis on the need to (1) develop a federal inter-agency committee and unified risk messaging; (2) directly engage with states and other stakeholders; (3) conduct more research and increase funding and support; (4) develop rules or guidance; and (5) address laboratory and sampling needs.

The ASDWA created the guide with the assistance of nine states, and indicates that “The purpose of the guide is to demonstrate and share effective strategies for addressing PFAS contamination risk in source waters that will help inform policy decisions, assist state drinking water programs in protecting public health, and encourage collaboration and communication among states and water utilities.”

While the most immediate impact of the ASDWA guide will be on municipalities and state-level government agencies, the ASDWA intends to continue working with the EPA, as it has for over three decades, to have drinking water standards in place that it feels will protect citizens.  The PFAS risks that the ASDWA outlines in its guide will likely be considered by the EPA when it releases its own PFAS drinking water standards.  The trickle down effect of the drinking water PFAS standards, though, will reach beyond municipalities and water treatment facilities, as these groups will likely turn to PFAS manufacturers and users of PFAS in manufacturing processes in an attempt to shift the blame once a federal standard is released and elevated drinking water readings are discovered.  As such, anyone involved in or potentially involved in PFAS issues needs to pay attention to the ASDWA guide and the EPA’s actions with respect to a PFAS drinking water standard.

CMBG3 Law is following judicial, legislative, and administrative developments relating to PFAS. More information about the services we can provide to ensure your business is ready for any intersection with these substances can be found on our PFAS Litigation page.

Our attorneys have been at the forefront of PFAS issues, including giving presentations as to the future waves of litigation stemming from PFAS issues. For more information, please contact any of our PFAS – Toxic Torts Team: Jessica Deyoe, Suzanne Englot, Alexandra Fraher,or John Gardella.

Authored By:

John Gardella, Esq.

 

 

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