EPA Decides Not to Regulate Perchlorate by ACWA staff Apr 3, 2022 Water News WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced March 31 that it is reaffirming the Trump-era decision not to pursue a drinking water regulation for perchlorate. In 2020, EPA made a final determination that perchlorate is not found in drinking water with a frequency and at levels of public health concern to support a national perchlorate drinking water regulation. President Biden issued an Executive Order directing EPA to review the 2020 determination. EPA concluded that the 2020 decision is supported by the best available peer reviewed science and noted that the agency will continue to consider new information on the health impacts and occurrence of perchlorate. EPA’s decision does not impact any state standards for perchlorate. In lieu of regulating perchlorate, EPA plans to focus its approach on cleaning up existing perchlorate contamination and protecting drinking water sources from future contamination. In 2019, ACWA submitted comments requesting EPA not withdraw the regulatory determination and to set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) as close as feasible to California’s MCL for perchlorate. For questions regarding contaminants, please contact Federal Relations Representative Madeline Voitier.