DEQ briefs Senate committee on PFAS in Idaho drinking water; EPA rule to be adopted by reference

Tyler Fortunati, chief of the Drinking Water Bureau for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that the EPA finalized a rule in April 2024 that sets maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six PFAS chemicals and that Idaho plans to adopt that rule by reference into state drinking water rules.

The presentation summarized what PFAS are, the federal compliance timeline, Idaho sampling to date, and funding options for water systems that need treatment. Fortunati said EPA requires initial monitoring by April 2027, routine monitoring frequency set by May 2027, consumer confidence reporting beginning April 2027, public notification if MCLs are exceeded starting in 2029, and compliance with the MCLs by April 2029.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of man-made chemicals used for water-, grease- and stain-resistant properties in many products and firefighting foams. Fortunati said the compounds break down very slowly, bioaccumulate, transport in air and water, and that scientific understanding of the toxicity of many newer PFAS is still emerging. He listed human-health…