Drinking Water Quality Council Recommends Maximum Contamination Levels for 1,4-Dioxane, PFOA and PFOS

The New York State Drinking Water Quality Council has recently recommended Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs) for 1,4-dioxane, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) at 1 parts-per-billion (ppb), 10 parts-per-trillion (ppt) and 10 ppt, respectively. The proposed levels are the nation's most protective MCLs. 1,4-Dioxane, PFOA, and PFOS are contaminants of concerns that are widely detected in New York State drinking water sources. Currently, there are no federal regulations in place for these three chemicals.

The NYS Center for Clean Water Technology is leading a pilot program to develop and test effective treatment systems to remove 1,4-dioxane from drinking water to levels less than the EPA’s cancer risk guideline of 0.35 ppb. The outcome of the program will help water utilities and other stake holders to optimize and upgrade water treatment systems in NYS to achieve the proposed regulatory goals. The Center is also initiating research to identify optimal treatment systems for removal of PFOA, PFOS and other unregulated perfluorinated compounds. Through support from NYS the Center is establishing a laboratory to make NYS Department of Health-certified measurements of PFOA, and PFOS to assist NYS and Suffolk County in the response to the emerging contamination of private drinking water wells with these compounds on Long Island.