New York State Response to PFAS Contamination
Since 2016, New York’s leadership addressed PFAS contamination through emergency responses to contaminated drinking water supplies, installation of treatment systems, and site cleanups, classifying certain PFAS as hazardous substances, incorporating them into soil and groundwater remediation programs, and setting some of the nation’s most stringent drinking water and ambient water quality standards. DEC developed guidance for sampling and analysis, restricted or banned PFAS in products, and implemented policies to limit PFAS in biosolids recycling. Under the leadership of the New York State Department of Health (DOH), New York State was one of the first to develop its own health-based enforceable drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS in 2020. The State continues work in close coordination with local health departments to identify public water supplies with PFOA and PFOS levels above 10 ppt and require them to take action to remove PFAS from these water supplies. DOH has also helped communities remove PFAS from drinking water through infrastructure grant and loan opportunities. These efforts have been paired with regulatory updates, expanded monitoring, and coordinated enforcement to reduce PFAS use and mitigate environmental and public health risks. Further detail on State efforts can be found in the document below.
