The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that, while the agency is upholding its decision not to regulate perchlorate in drinking water, it is also taking multiple actions to ensure that public health is protected from the chemical.
“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.”
EPA’s renewed resolution not to regulate perchlorate comes from a review of its July 2020 determination to not regulate; the agency concluded that its 2020 decision is supported by the best available peer reviewed science. Additionally, however, EPA announced multiple integrated actions to ensure that public health is protected from perchlorate in drinking water.
Investments in infrastructure from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will complement additional actions that the agency is announcing: EPA will support research to better understand perchlorate as it relates to firework displays; EPA also plans to 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.
Additionally, 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.
The agency stated that it will continue to consider new information on the health effects and occurrence of perchlorate, and will continue to consider if perchlorate should be added to future Contaminant Candidate Lists for possible regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
