en.Wedoany.com Reported - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 26, 2026, that it has formally proposed national monitoring for 30 contaminants currently unregulated but potentially present in drinking water, as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. This initiative is part of the "Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule" (UCMR 6), aimed at collecting scientific data to inform future drinking water protection standards.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA is required to publish a list of unregulated contaminants every five years for monitoring by public water systems. The proposed 30 chemicals include some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). By collecting data on the frequency, concentration, and potential public health risks of these contaminants nationwide, the EPA and the public will gain a more comprehensive understanding of their impacts.
Jess Kramer, Assistant Administrator for the EPA's Office of Water, stated that the American public has concerns about exposure to unregulated chemicals in drinking water, and the EPA under the Trump administration is addressing these concerns through a "gold standard" scientific approach. The data collected will inform the agency's future decisions to protect the nation's drinking water safety.
The proposed rule enters a 60-day public comment period starting today. During this period, the EPA will hold two identical online public webinars on August 11 and 12, 2026. Once the rule is finalized, the EPA will collect and publish data on these chemicals from sampled public water systems.
Additionally, data collection under this UCMR framework will continue to support the EPA's "PFAS OUT" initiative. This initiative is a proactive outreach program designed to provide funding, technical assistance, and resources such as webinars to water systems facing PFAS challenges. All water systems can access relevant resources and obtain technical assistance through the EPA's "RealWaterTA" program.
During the same period, the EPA also advanced a comprehensive lifecycle strategy for PFAS and announced nearly $1 billion in dedicated funding through the "Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program" to help states address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that the actions follow the "gold standard" of scientific evidence and the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, providing water systems with enforceable standards. Since the launch of this grant program, the EPA has provided a total of $5 billion over five years.
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