AWWA Releases Updated National PFAS Cost Estimate

In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new monitoring data for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), shortly after publishing the final rulemaking setting drinking water standards for six PFAS. Using this data, AWWA requested that Corona Environmental and Black & Veatch update 2023 analyses of occurrence and treatment costs nationally. The updated analysis has been completed and, using UCMR 5 data, the updated cost analysis found that:

• The installation of new drinking water treatment for PFAS will reduce PFAS exposure from drinking water for 35 million Americans, roughly half of the EPA’s estimate as part of the final rulemaking.
• More than 7,000 entry points will need capital improvement investments to install treatment of PFAS in drinking water, totaling $37.1 to $48.3 billion in the next five years. Combined with costs of operations and maintenance the annualized cost is estimated to be $2.7 to $3.5 billion, roughly twice the EPA’s estimate as part of the final rulemaking.

AWWA filed a petition on June 7 and recently submitted a statement of issues further defining concerns with the rulemaking, including concerns that the rule is not reflective of the best available or nationally representative occurrence data as well as the costs of compliance. The results of this analysis confirm concerns about EPA’s occurrence and cost analysis, which were originally raised in public comments on EPA’s proposed rulemaking in May 2023.

The results of this updated costs analysis are available on AWWA’s PFAS resource page along with the petition materials, cost fact sheet, and other resources.