EPA Advances PFAS Regulations and Funding for Water Safety
In this episode Talking Under Water co-hosts discuss EPA’s latest PFAS regulatory moves, major new federal funding for drinking water and lead service line replacement, and stormwater-related investments aimed at protecting coastal water quality. The episode opens with a breakdown of EPA’s proposal to maintain drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS while reconsidering standards for several other PFAS compounds, alongside a potential compliance extension that could give some utilities until 2031 to meet federal limits. The hosts also examine EPA’s increasing focus on PFAS destruction technologies, nearly $946 million in emerging contaminants funding, and what those developments mean for utilities trying to balance treatment costs, planning, and compliance pressure.
The conversation then shifts to the legal and financial risks surrounding PFAS liability, including how CERCLA and RCRA apply to utilities, what EPA’s enforcement discretion does and does not protect against, and why water sector groups are pushing for permanent legislative safeguards. Later, the episode highlights nearly $2.9 billion in lead service line replacement funding and closes with stormwater and coastal water quality news, including federal beach monitoring grants and resilience planning underway in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.
Show notes:
Administrator Zeldin Makes Major PFAS Announcement and Hosts Roundtable with Secretary Kennedy
Federal Environmental Liability under CERCLA and RCRA
Report finds 61% of U.S. beaches experienced unsafe contamination levels in 2024
EPA announces $9.75 million in BEACH Act funding for water quality monitoring
Sullivan's Island resilience plan pairs gray infrastructure with green solutions for 2050
Key moments:
- 00:00 – Introduction
- 01:16 – EPA PFAS actions overview
- 02:16 – Proposed PFAS compliance extension to 2031
- 03:31 – Shift toward PFAS destruction technologies
- 04:39 – $945.7 million in emerging contaminants funding
- 06:13 – EPA outreach for small and disadvantaged systems
- 07:02 – $2.9 billion for lead service line replacement
- 08:34 – Lead funding declines slightly from prior year
- 09:02 – PFAS liability discussion begins
- 10:20 – RCRA and CERCLA explainer
- 13:05 – Why utilities face PFAS liability risk
- 14:03 – EPA enforcement discretion
- 16:48 – Legislative safe harbor push
- 17:45 – Deeper PRP liability implications
- 19:32 – Atlantic Richfield case walkthrough
- 23:22 – Limits of current liability protections
- 25:17 – Stormwater and coastal water quality segment
- 25:30 – EPA beach water quality grants
- 26:22 – Safer swimming report findings
- 27:12 – Sullivan’s Island resilience planning
- 28:11 – Housekeeping
About the podcast
Talking Under Water is the premier podcast for the water industry, including municipal water and wastewater, residential water treatment, storm water management and erosion control. It is produced in coordination between Wastewater Digest (WWD), WaterWorld and Storm Water Solutions (SWS). The podcast covers topics under the One Water movement including the municipal and industrial water and wastewater, residential, stormwater and erosion control markets. Talking Under Water highlights news, trends, new technologies, industry discussions and interviews with experts across the municipal water industry. New episodes of the podcast are released every other week. Logo Images: Anatoly Tiplyashin / Romolo Tavani / stock.adobe.com.
Contact the Talking Under Water podcast editors by emailing [email protected] engaging with them on X @TUWpodcast. Join the conversation by commenting or using the hashtag #talkingunderwaterpod on social media.
About the Author
Alex Cossin
Associate Editor
Alex Cossin is lead reporter, staff writer and content strategist for Waterworld Magazine, Wastewater Digest, Stormwater Solutions and Water Technology. Cossin graduated from Kent State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. Cossin can be reached at [email protected].
Sarah Kominek
Head of Content, Stormwater Solutions
Sarah Kominek is the head of content for Stormwater Solutions at Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B. Kominek graduated from Wayne State University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a minor in Communication. She worked as a reporter for Plastics News, a Crain Communications publication, for six years covering public policy and medical plastics.
Mandy Crispin
Mandy Crispin is the editor-in-chief of WaterWorld, having joined Endeavor Business Media in 2023. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and is a graduate of University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has internal and external corporate communications experience in disparate industries including online retail, gaming, plastics and is now enjoying exploring the water utility space. Crispin can be reach at [email protected].