January 7, 2026
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, are a large class of thousands of chemical compounds that are used in a variety of industrial and consumer products. As evidence has grown concerning the negative health effects of exposures to PFAS, federal and state governments have in recent years begun to monitor and regulate some PFAS in drinking water. The federal government finalized regulations for certain PFAS in drinking water in 2024. Since then, the finalized rule has been challenged in court, and the Trump administration has communicated that it intends to delay enforcement and rescind parts of the rule.
This piece follows up on the Rockefeller Institute’s earlier work when the draft version of the federal rule was first proposed and outlines the final rule. It further discusses legal challenges and potential changes to the rule, and how those potential changes relate to current state standards. And finally, it considers more recent data on the prevalence of PFAS in drinking water systems across the country, and what impact the potential changes to federal standards may have with respect to human health.
