EPA decides against limiting perchlorate in drinking water

Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it had completed its review of a Trump-era decision to not regulate perchlorate in drinking water. The agency concluded that the 2020 decision is supported by the best available peer reviewed science.

In June 2020, EPA announced it had determined that perchlorate does not meet the criteria for regulation as a drinking water contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act and thus withdrew the 2011 Regulatory Determination.

While the Agency renewed it’s decision to not regulate, it did announce multiple integrated actions it will take to ensure that public health is protected from perchlorate in drinking water such as: supporting research to better understand perchlorate as it relates to firework displays; and establish a web-based toolkit to provide updated technical information to assist drinking water systems and communities that may have concerns about perchlorate contamination of their source water. EPA anticipates that this toolkit would be available online in 2022.

EPA is working with states to address perchlorate contamination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund program. These cleanups have already reduced perchlorate levels at some sites. The agency will also consider proposed revisions to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) standards for the open burning and open detonation of waste explosives and bulk propellants to reduce impacts of perchlorate to human health and the environment.

“EPA is taking action and applying the right tools to support public health protections,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a new monitoring study, financial and technical tools, and cleanup of contaminated sites will enhance protections and help ensure that communities can rely on clean and safe drinking water.”

The EPA decision doesn’t affect state standards that regulate the chemical.

EPA has also said it will continue to consider new information on the health effects and occurrence of perchlorate and consider if perchlorate should be added to future Contaminant Candidate Lists for possible regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.