The EPA's public comment window closed July 20 on two proposed rules that would drop federal limits for four forever chemicals and push the PFOA and PFOS compliance deadline back to 2031. New Jersey's own standard does not move either way, but Pennsylvania and anyone on a private well have real homework to do.
What the EPA actually proposed
On May 18, the EPA put out two linked proposals. The first keeps the maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS in place but gives public water systems the option to ask for two extra years, moving the compliance deadline from 2029 to 2031. The second proposal would rescind the federal limits covering PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (the GenX chemicals), and a combined Hazard Index standard for those three plus PFBS.
The agency's stated reason for the second proposal is not that those chemicals turned out to be safe. It is that it considers the process used to adopt those specific limits under the prior administration procedurally flawed, and it has said it may revisit regulating those compounds again later through a corrected process. The public comment period on both proposals, plus a July 7 virtual hearing, closed July 20. The EPA is now working through what it received.
New Jersey: mostly unaffected, because the state already went further
New Jersey was the first state in the country to set its own enforceable limit for PFNA back in 2018, followed by PFOA and PFOS limits in 2020. Those state numbers stand on their own and do not depend on what the federal government does. If the EPA drops its federal PFNA limit, New Jersey utilities are still bound by the state's number.
That is genuinely good news for anyone on a public NJ water system. It is worth remembering, though, that state rules can be amended by the state legislature or the DEP, and federal deregulation tends to shift political pressure. For now, a NJ homeowner on public water does not need to do anything differently because of this specific EPA action.
Pennsylvania: the state standard is currently weaker, and that gap does not close on its own
Pennsylvania adopted its own PFOA and PFOS limits in January 2023, at 14 parts per trillion and 18 parts per trillion respectively. Those numbers are looser than the federal 4 ppt standard the EPA is proposing to keep (with the extended deadline). Under the current framework, Pennsylvania has roughly two years to update its state rule to match the tighter federal number, regardless of the outcome of the rescission proposal for the other four chemicals.
Recent monitoring found detectable PFAS in about one in three Pennsylvania drinking water systems as of 2021, and in a majority of the rivers and streams sampled statewide. Some utilities, like Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, have been testing since 2014 and have not hit levels requiring removal yet. Smaller systems, like Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority, started monitoring more recently and have said they have not received dedicated state funding for it yet, which is a gap worth watching if you are served by a smaller municipal utility rather than one of the big investor-owned companies.
The part almost nobody is talking about: private wells
Every one of these federal rules, in every version, applies to public water systems. It does not apply to a private well. An estimated 2.5 million Pennsylvania residents get their water from a private well, and none of them are protected by this rule no matter which way the EPA lands on the comment period. New Jersey has similar exposure in rural counties, though the state's well testing law at time of sale gives NJ homeowners at least one mandatory checkpoint that Pennsylvania does not require statewide.
If your home is on a well, the practical move is the same regardless of what happens in Washington. Test your own water for PFAS through a certified lab, understand which treatment technology actually removes it (granular activated carbon and ion exchange both work; a basic sediment or carbon pitcher filter generally does not), and plan for a maintenance schedule, because PFAS removal media has a service life and stops working quietly once it is exhausted.
What to actually do about it this week
If you are on a public system in NJ or PA, you do not need to panic or install anything new because of this specific news. Your existing rights under the state or federal standard, whichever is stricter, remain in force. If you are on a well, or if you simply want peace of mind, get water tested now rather than waiting for the federal process to resolve itself, since that could take well past 2026.
If a test comes back positive, a licensed plumber can help you figure out whether a point-of-use filter at the kitchen tap is enough or whether you need a point-of-entry system treating the whole house, and can make sure whatever you install is sized and installed correctly so it actually performs the way the cartridge is rated. Plumbarama installs and services both point-of-use and whole-house PFAS filtration for NJ and PA homes and is available 24/7 if a system needs attention or a home is switching from well to a new filtration setup.
Figures from EPA rule pages and PA-focused reporting on the proposal, current as of the July 20 comment-period close.
6 Things To Do If You're On Well Water In NJ or PA Right Now
None of these depend on how the EPA comment period resolves. They are worth doing either way.
- Test for PFAS specifically: A standard bacteria/nitrate well test will not catch it. Ask your lab for a PFAS panel by name.
- Match the filter to the contaminant: Granular activated carbon and ion exchange resin both remove PFAS. A basic sediment or pitcher filter generally does not.
- Decide point-of-use vs whole-house: A kitchen tap filter protects drinking water; a point-of-entry system also protects bathing and laundry water.
- Put media replacement on a calendar: PFAS removal capacity runs out silently. A filter that is not swapped on schedule can start passing contaminants through again.
- Ask your municipal utility what it already tests for: If you are on a small municipal system rather than a big investor-owned utility, confirm whether PFAS monitoring is already happening.
- Have a licensed plumber size the install: An undersized or poorly plumbed treatment system won't hit its rated removal performance, even with the right cartridge.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this EPA proposal lower New Jersey's PFAS standard?
- No. New Jersey set its own enforceable limits for PFNA, PFOA and PFOS starting in 2018, separate from federal rule. Those state limits stay in place regardless of what the EPA does federally.
- Is Pennsylvania's water unsafe right now?
- Not necessarily. About one in three PA systems have had detectable PFAS, but detectable is not the same as over any legal limit. Ask your utility for its most recent water quality report if you want your specific numbers.
- When will the EPA finalize these rules?
- The comment period closed July 20, 2026. The EPA has not published a final rule date. Federal rulemaking of this kind commonly takes months after comments close.
- I'm on a private well. Does any of this apply to me?
- No federal or state PFAS drinking water rule currently covers private wells in either state. Testing and treatment for a well are entirely on the homeowner.