PFAS Resources

  1. $7.9 Million NSF Investment Brings Vermont Researchers Together To Address 'Forever Chemical' Contamination 9/2/2026

    The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded $7.9 million to establish the PFAS Environmental Research Network (PERN), a four-year initiative bringing together Vermont researchers, educators, students, and state partners to better understand and address environmental chemical contamination.

  2. EPA Releases Final UCMR 5 Drinking Water Data For PFAS And Lithium 9/2/2026

    On August 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the final set of national drinking water data collected under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) for 30 chemical contaminants: 29 PFAS plus lithium. The data collected under UCMR 5 improves understanding of the prevalence and amount of 29 PFAS and lithium in the nation’s drinking water systems.

  3. Emerging Contaminants Follow Distinct Rules When Partitioning Between Sediment And Water, Study Finds 8/26/2026

    For decades, environmental scientists have struggled to predict where emerging contaminants end up in rivers—whether they linger in sediments or remain mobile in the water. That uncertainty has made risk assessment difficult and management decisions unreliable.

  4. D.C. Circuit Upholds EPA's Hazardous Substance Designation For PFOA, PFOS 8/24/2026

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently rejected industry challenges to the EPA's designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, leaving the agency's April 2024 rule fully intact. While the case centered on the EPA's authority to make the designation, its practical significance for water utilities is simpler: the liability concerns that have accompanied the rule since its adoption remain unresolved.

  5. AWWA Issues Statement Following Court Decision On PFAS And CERCLA 8/18/2026

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today upheld EPA’s designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. The American Water Works Association, which was not part of the litigation, issued the following statement.

  6. How Insects Could Help Detect PFAS Contamination 8/17/2026

    Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that neurons in a locust’s brain can distinguish among multiple PFAS compounds, including PFOS, one of the world’s most common “forever chemicals,” at environmentally relevant concentrations.

  7. Veolia Files Delaware Lawsuit Seeking Recovery Of PFAS Treatment Costs From Alleged Polluters 8/12/2026

    Veolia has filed a lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court against nine companies it alleges are responsible for PFAS contamination in watersheds that supply drinking water to customers in northern Delaware.

  8. Federal Court Approves Historic PFAS Settlements Valued At Approximately $2.5 Billion 8/7/2026

    Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak today announced judicial approval of two groundbreaking settlements to remedy long-standing statewide contamination from PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals,” as well as PFAS and other pollutants originating from four significant industrial sites.

  9. Midyear Reality Check: How Accurate Have Our 2026 Water Predictions Been So Far? 8/4/2026
    At the start of 2026, Kevin Westerling and I laid out a compelling roadmap on The Water Online Show, highlighting the trends we believed would shape the water and wastewater industry. Now, halfway through the year, I wanted to take a step back and evaluate how those predictions are playing out in the real world.
  10. Ban The Molecule Or Manage The Risk? IDTechEx Investigates The Technologies Shaped By Diverging PFAS Policies 8/4/2026

    Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals" are a family consisting of thousands of fluorinated organic substances, which have been used since the mid-20th century across a vast range of different application areas. PFAS are highly stable, both physically and chemically, and can repel both water and oil.