Water Sector News
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Health, infrastructure costs of PFAS in the billions; Who should pay for it?
Aug 21, 2023
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/health-infrastructure-costs-of-pfas-in-the-billions-who-should-pay-for-it/3XSBRQ6WGVA4JLNUY5LS6UGFNQ/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates it will cost $772 million per year for drinking water systems to comply with proposed new guidelines for “forever chemicals” in drinking water.
Activists with the Environmental Working Group believe local governments should not be footing the bill for PFAS remediation — rather, companies and agencies that expelled the pollutant into the environment should be responsible for costs related to the clean-up.
Public water systems in Bellbrook and Fairborn, among other cities across the nation, were recently named in a $10.3 billion settlement with PFAS manufacturer 3M Co., a company that produced products with PFAS. Leaders of both cities say they will use settlement money to address PFAS in their water.
EWG Senior Scientist Tasha Stoiber said as governments come into compliance with the new standards, people concerned about PFAS can use their own filters to protect them against PFAS in their drinking water.