EPA Releases the Sixth Set of National Drinking Water Data under UCMR 5

The EPA will soon release the sixth set of national drinking water data regarding PFAS and lithium. The Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water collected these data under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5). The intent of this round of monitoring was to better understand the extent to which PFAS and lithium have infiltrated the US’s drinking water systems.

Alongside the release of these data, the EPA also released tools to improve the accessibility of previous UCMR data. The UCMR Archival Data Finder now allows users to view past UCMR data, and data fields have been made consistent across UCMR 1-5. With these data, the EPA can make scientifically informed decisions about how best to pursue public health through drinking water system improvements. After the release of this sixth set of data, 55% of the total expected results the EPA expects to receive by the 2026 reporting deadline.