OCTOBER ROUNDUP
The World Health Organization released PFAS drinking water guidelines which are significantly higher than the U.S. EPA’s interim health advisories noting significant uncertainty and lack of consensus on whether PFAS, and PFOA and PFOS specifically, can be linked to adverse health effects. WHO analyzed the health and exposure data and concluded that there are "inconsistencies and uncertainties in the studies." We strongly believe that the EPA must issue drinking water regulations that align with the Safe Drinking Water Act and are based on the best science to address the greatest risks to public health. Read more from Joe Cotruvo in his letter to the editor of Chemical & Engineering News.
Water Advisory Insights
Check out how Council Member Chad Seidel explains how to prioritize our nation’s water infrastructure

A recent study conducted on behalf of the American Water Works Association found that nearly three-in-four people perceive their home’s tap water as safe.
While our nation has taken great strides to ensure safe drinking water for all, there is more work to be done to ensure that all Americans feel confident in must remain a top priority for policymakers.

What can bottled water tell us about America? Check out Council Member Manny Teodoro’s new book, “The Profits of Distrust: Citizen-Consumers, Drinking Water, and the Crisis of Confidence in American Government,” to learn about how the rise of the bottled water industry has led to declining trust in government.

Check out Episode 7 of The Authority Podcast where Council Member Chad Seidel discusses how to prioritize access to safe drinking water when there are several competing priorities, like microbial contaminants and PFAS, that impact our water supply daily.
Our nation’s drinking water infrastructure is in desperate need of attention. This is not breaking news. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave our underground water system a C- and their economic study found that the annual drinking water and wastewater investment gap will eventually grow to $434 billion by 2029. Visit our Water Infrastructure page to learn more.
Water News
National Law Review: WHO PFAS Draft Guide Will Impact U.S.

In a significant development related to PFAS, the World Health Organization (WHO) on September 29, 2022 issued a draft “PFOS and PFOS In Drinking-Water” Background Document, which will inform the WHO’s recommendations for drinking water guidelines. The WHO PFAS results and recommendations are significantly higher than the EPA’s original guidance level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) and several magnitudes higher than the EPA’s recently issued Health Advisories for certain PFAS.
Cleburne Times Review: Texans’ fear of losing access to water is already here
An aging water main snapped in Odessa. Drought conditions decimated groundwater supplies to the town of Concan. Millions of Texans lived without water for days when complications from Winter Storm Uri left household taps dry. While Thursday marked the eighth annual Imagine a Day Without Water, too many Texans have already been forced to endure this reality.
The Guardian: US lawmakers call for more measures to protect against toxic lead in tap water

US legislators are calling for increased measures to protect American residents from toxic lead in their tap water.
A group of up to 15 US senators asked the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to lower the levels of lead allowable in drinking water, require all lead pipes to be replaced in the next decade and ensure that low-income neighborhoods can benefit equally from the remediation efforts.
CBS News: EPA: "All options are on the table regarding a possible federal takeover of Jackson's water system
The head of the Environmental Protection Agency says "all options are on the table" when it comes to a possible federal takeover of the water system in Jackson, Mississippi.
"It's hard to explain how and why government has failed the city of Jackson and the people of Jackson," EPA Administrator Michael Regan told CBS News in an interview that aired Tuesday on "Prime Time with John Dickerson."
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