EPA PFAS Rule (2026): PFOA and PFOS Limits Still 4 ppt

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What’s happening to the EPA PFAS rule?

As of 13 October 2026, the EPA’s April 2024 PFAS drinking water rule is still in force as written, but the EPA has proposed two changes: keep the 4.0 ppt limits for PFOA and PFOS while letting water systems request two more years to meet them, and remove the limits for four other PFAS. Neither proposal is final, and a court challenge to the 2024 rule was argued on 18 September 2026 and is waiting for a decision. If you want a filter now, our top-scoring PFAS pick is the AquaTru Carafe, certified by IAPMO R&T to NSF/ANSI 53 for PFOA/PFOS.

What limits did the 2024 PFAS rule set?

The 2024 rule set enforceable limits, called MCLs (maximum contaminant levels), for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA, and for mixtures that also include PFBS. The EPA announced it on 10 April 2024 and published it in the Federal Register on 26 April 2024 (89 FR 32532). It took effect on 25 June 2024. Water systems have until 26 April 2027 to finish initial monitoring and until 26 April 2029 to meet the limits.

Limits from the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation, Federal Register document 2024-07773 (89 FR 32532, 26 April 2024), docket EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0114. The Hazard Index applies to a mixture of two or more of the four listed PFAS. The EPA set the MCLG (maximum contaminant level goal), a health goal, for PFOA and PFOS at zero. Proposals: Federal Register documents 2026-10085 and 2026-10086, both published 20 May 2026.

What did the EPA announce in May 2025?

On 14 May 2025, the EPA said it would keep the PFOA and PFOS limits and change the rest of the rule. The announcement said the EPA would propose extending the compliance date for PFOA and PFOS from 2029 to 2031, and that it intended to rescind the regulations and reconsider its regulatory determinations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX) and the Hazard Index mixture. The EPA said then that it planned to propose a rule that fall and finalize it in spring 2026. The proposals came a year later, in May 2026.

What did the EPA propose in May 2026?

Two rules, announced on 18 May 2026 and published in the Federal Register on 20 May 2026. Both took public comment until 20 July 2026, and the EPA held a virtual public hearing on 7 July 2026.

The rescission rule (document 2026-10085, 91 FR 29413, docket EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0654) would rescind the EPA’s regulatory determinations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA and the mixture of those three plus PFBS, and remove their health goals and limits, including the Hazard Index. The EPA says the 2024 rule followed an unlawful procedure under the Safe Drinking Water Act and that the proposal is needed to correct it. The proposal states that the PFOA and PFOS limits, monitoring and reporting are not affected. The EPA also says that, once the rescission is final, it will evaluate more PFAS for future regulation, which could lead to stricter requirements.

The compliance extension (document 2026-10086, 91 FR 29425, docket EPA-HQ-OW-2025-1742) doesn’t move the deadline for every water system. It proposes a federal exemption that would extend the PFOA and PFOS compliance date from 26 April 2029 to 26 April 2031 for systems that submit a request. It applies to systems in states, territories and Tribes that don’t have primacy for the PFAS rule; a state with primacy can decide on its own exemptions. Under the proposal, a system with a PFOA or PFOS result at or above 12 ppt would have to put at least two short-term control measures in place during the exemption, and public education alone wouldn’t count. The EPA says the monitoring and reporting deadlines from the 2024 rule stay the same. Read the EPA’s summary on its compliance extension page.

Has the EPA finalized the changes?

No. On 13 October 2026, the Federal Register showed no final rule for either proposal, and the EPA’s pages for both, last updated on 8 October 2026, still describe them as proposed. Until a final rule is published, the 2024 limits for all six PFAS remain in the regulation, with the original dates.

Where does the court challenge stand?

It was argued on 18 September 2026 and has no decision yet. Two water associations, the American Water Works Association and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, challenged the 2024 rule in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (No. 24-1188, consolidated with Nos. 24-1191 and 24-1192). Here is what the court has done so far:

• 21 January 2026: The court denied the EPA’s motion to vacate part of the rule, saying the merits were “not so clear as to warrant summary action.”
• 19 March 2026: The court denied the EPA’s motion to sever the challenge to the four other PFAS limits and hold it in abeyance.
• 18 September 2026: Judges Millett, Pillard and Katsas heard oral argument.
• 13 October 2026: The court’s website listed no opinion in the case.

What does this mean for your tap water?

Your water system still has to monitor for PFAS and meet the PFOA and PFOS limits of 4.0 ppt. Under the 2024 rule, systems must finish initial monitoring by 26 April 2027 and start telling customers about their PFAS levels from 2027. From 26 April 2029, a system over a limit has to reduce it and notify the public. If the exemption is finalized, systems that request it would have until 26 April 2031 for PFOA and PFOS, with short-term measures required at 12 ppt or more.

For PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index, the limits stay in the rule for now. If the rescission is finalized, there would be no federal limit for them. Private wells aren’t covered either way: the EPA says private wells aren’t regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and owners are responsible for their own water.

How can you find out how much PFAS is in your water?

On a public system, ask your utility or check its annual water quality report; the 2024 rule requires systems to share PFAS results from 2027. On a private well, use a lab. The EPA’s drinking water methods for PFAS are Methods 533 and 537.1, which together measure 29 PFAS, and the EPA advises homeowners to contact their state laboratory certification program to find a certified lab. Our PFAS guide explains how to read the results.

Which filter certifications cover PFAS?

Look for a PFAS claim on a listing from NSF International, IAPMO R&T or WQA, under NSF/ANSI 53 for most filters or NSF/ANSI 58 for reverse osmosis. Listings carry one of two kinds of PFAS claim:

Which filters are certified for PFAS?

These are the filters we’ve scored that are certified for PFOA/PFOS or Total PFAS, ranked by our overall score. The PFAS column shows which claim each one carries. For full write-ups, see our best water filters for PFAS. How we score

Certified: Certified by an independent body (named in each pick). Lab test: Tested by a named independent lab, not certified. Claim: The maker's claim, not certified. No: No claim. PFAS means PFOA/PFOS, or Total PFAS where the pick says so.

What else do people ask about the EPA PFAS rule?

Short answers on deadlines, private wells, buying a filter now and reverse osmosis.

Prices as of October 14, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.