United States to newly monitor 30 PFAS (organofluorine compounds) substances in tap water

Explanation

On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed "Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR6)" to investigate unregulated chemicals in tap water. The rule covers 30 substances, including ultra-short-chain organofluorine compounds belonging to the PFAS family of persistent "forever chemicals," and will collect actual measurement data from water utilities serving populations of 10,000 or more between 2028 and 2030. Microplastics, however, were excluded from this round on the grounds that "no validated measurement method exists."