Human Health Water Quality Criteria for PFAS

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency is using its Clean Water Act authority to develop national recommended water quality criteria for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface water that are protective of human health. As scientific data and information become available regarding the health effects of these chemicals, the agency intends to publish draft national recommended criteria for public comment, respond to the public comments, and then, finalize the recommended criteria. When finalized, states and authorized Tribes may consider the EPA’s recommended criteria when developing their own water quality standards, issuing permits that limit PFAS in wastewater discharges to water bodies, and developing restoration targets for water bodies impaired by PFAS. The EPA’s recommended criteria are not regulatory, nor do they impose legally binding requirements.

2024 Draft PFAS Human Health Water Quality Criteria

The EPA has derived draft national recommended water quality criteria protective of human health for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). These draft criteria reflect the latest available scientific information including final human health toxicity values, draft bioaccumulation factors, draft relative source contributions, and updated drinking water ingestion rates. The EPA is accepting written comments from the public on the draft human health criteria from December 2024 to February 2025.

• Pre-Publication Federal Register Notice: Draft Human Health Water Quality Criteria for PFOA, PFOS, and PFBS (pdf) (253.44 KB, December 2024)
  • For assistance reading this document, please contact Brandi Echols ([email protected]) at 202-564-0743.
• Technical Fact Sheet: Draft Human Health Criteria for PFOA, PFOS, and PFBS (pdf) (170.63 KB, December 2024)
• Document: Draft Human Health Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) (pdf) (906.75 KB, December 2024, 822-P-24-001)
• Document: Draft Human Health Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) (pdf) (969.39 KB, December 2024, 822-P-24-002)
• Document: Draft Human Health Water Quality Criteria for Perfluorobutane Sulfonic Acid (PFBS) (pdf) (1.2 MB, December 2024, 822-P-24-003)
• Spreadsheet: Draft National Bioaccumulation Factors- Supplemental Information Table (xlsx) (241.77 KB, December 2024, 822-D-24-001)