EPA Launches Cutting-Edge Scientific Study To Strengthen Nation's Understanding Of Potential Pollutants In Drinking Water

Washington - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new scientific study using cutting-edge methods to improve the agency’s understanding of what pollutants may be present in drinking water. This groundbreaking new research by EPA scientists goes beyond traditional testing methods to screen for a broad array of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and more than 1,000 potential contaminants. This action advances EPA’s commitment to help Make America Healthy Again while following gold standard science.

“We have heard loud and clear that Americans are concerned about potential unknown pollutants lurking in their drinking water. The Trump EPA is committed to getting to the bottom of this, so that Americans can feel confident about the safety of their drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “EPA’s state-of-the-art study will shed light on this issue and complement the actions we are already taking under the Safe Drinking Water Act. What we learn will provide clarity and peace of mind while guiding the agency’s continued efforts to Make America Healthy Again.”

“Americans have a right to know what is in the water they drink,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “For decades, I fought unsuccessfully to get EPA to conduct this kind of comprehensive testing. Thanks to Administrator Zeldin’s courage and President Trump’s bold MAHA agenda, we are finally getting it done. EPA is going to search for pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and other contaminants that have gone undetected—and give Americans the truth about what is in their water.”

This study and EPA’s ongoing efforts implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act are accelerating progress to ensure that all Americans have confidence their drinking water is safe. EPA’s new study represents a major step in aligning EPA research with the concerns of hardworking Americans. This scientific assessment will use Non-Targeted Analysis, which can identify unknown pollutants present in a drinking water sample. While conventional analytical methods measure a handful of specific chemicals at a time, Non-Targeted Analysis allows researchers to scan for thousands of potential pollutants. The resulting insights will help EPA prioritize future actions to ensure that drinking water is safe.

The agency’s new study complements existing Safe Drinking Water Act programs being implemented by EPA. This spring, the agency released its draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6), which helps prioritize funding, research, and information collection to better understand the potential health risks of unregulated contaminants in drinking water while advancing the agency’s commitment to gold standard science. For the first time, EPA designated both microplastics and pharmaceuticals as priority contaminant groups on the draft CCL 6. In June, the agency proposed its Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6), which would require monitoring for contaminants not currently regulated but may be present in drinking water. UCMR 6 would require monitoring using existing approved methods to detect 30 unregulated contaminants. The agency’s non-targeted analysis complements these efforts by filling in gaps not addressed by the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Contaminant Candidate List and Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring processes.