Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Drinking Water

PFAS Rule Information for Waterworks (webinar) - August 25, 2025 - Recording / Slides 

Click here to visit the ODW PFAS Sampling Interactive Web Map Application.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. Examples of where PFAS can be found include cleaners, textiles, leather, paper and paints, fire-fighting foams, and wire insulation.

On April 10, 2024 EPA announced the final National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (see more info below) establishing legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS in drinking water. Waterworks will have three years to complete initial monitoring (by 2027), followed by ongoing compliance monitoring. Waterworks will have five years (by 2029) to implement solution that reduce PFAS levels if monitoring shows that drinking water levels exceed the MCLs.

In response to this regulation, the VDH Office of Drinking Water is working closely with water utility providers to monitor the water that is provided to Virginia residents.

US EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS in Drinking Water

On April 10, 2024, EPA announced a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) establishing legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS in drinking water.  This includes PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA as contaminants with individual MCLs, and PFAS mixtures containing at least two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS using a Hazard Index MCL to account for the combined and co-occurring levels of these PFAS in drinking water.

Webinars from EPA introducing the PFAS Rule

  1. Webinar for the General Public (April 16, 2024):
  1. Webinar for Drinking Water Utilities and Professionals Technical Overview:

EPA has finalized health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for these PFAS.

Compound Final MCLG Final MCL (enforceable levels)
PFOA Zero 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt) (also expressed as ng/L)
PFOS Zero 4.0 ppt
PFHxS 10 ppt 10 ppt
PFNA 10 ppt 10 ppt
HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX Chemicals) 10 ppt 10 ppt
Mixtures containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS 1 (unitless)

Hazard Index

 1 (unitless)

Hazard Index

The final rule requires:

  • Public water systems must monitor for these PFAS and have three years to complete initial monitoring (by 2027), followed by ongoing compliance monitoring. Water systems must also provide the public with information on the levels of these PFAS in their drinking water beginning in 2027.
  • Public water systems have five years (by 2029) to implement solutions that reduce these PFAS if monitoring shows that drinking water levels exceed these MCLs.
  • Beginning in five years (2029), public water systems that have PFAS in drinking water which violates one or more of these MCLs must take action to reduce levels of these PFAS in their drinking water and must provide notification to the public of the violation.

Additional supporting materials, including a frequently asked questions document and several facts sheets, are available on EPA’s website: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas

The Workgroup is in the process of designing a PFAS Sampling & Monitoring study in Virginia drinking water. Per HB586, no more than 50 waterworks and/or water sources will be covered under this sampling event. Selection of such waterworks and water sources will be based on two major criteria i.e. protecting public health, and maximum risk reduction.

Sample Training Webinar slides from April 14, 2021:  Sampling for PFAS & What to Expect after Sampling

Below is the VA PFAS Sampling Training Video.

 

Funding to help address PFAS contamination in drinking water is available to public and private community water systems (and non-profit non-community water systems) from the Financial & Construction Assistance Programs (FCAP) division of the Office of Drinking Water at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). FCAP funding includes low-cost loans, and for waterworks serving areas designated as disadvantaged, the waterworks may qualify for principal forgiveness of their loans which means the loan does not have to be paid back. Communities where the monthly average water rate is higher than 1% of the median household monthly income are considered disadvantaged.
FCAP’s available funding comes from two main sources - the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The deadline to apply for DWSRF and BIL funding is typically at the beginning of May each year and one application covers both funding sources. Additional information and the current application for this funding may be found at FCAP Funding Info.
Waterworks wishing to apply for funding should first contact the FCAP Project Manager located closest to the waterworks as indicated in the staff directory located at FCAP Staff Directory.
The Division of Technical Services within VDH also has a funding program to address PFAS issues known as the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program. A “Small Community” is one that has a population of less than 10,000 individuals that does not have the capacity to incur debt sufficient to finance a project or activity addressing PFAS. Small communities are also eligible for principal forgiveness funding. Communities meeting the disadvantaged criteria above are also eligible to apply for this grant. More information on this grant program is available here.

PFAS may enter a person’s body when they drink water or eat food that has been contaminated with PFAS. Unborn babies may be exposed to PFAS if their mother ingests PFAS while she is pregnant, and babies may be exposed through breastmilk. Inhalation of PFAS contaminated water can be a source of industrial exposures for employees (see the Business and Employee Exposure section below). PFAS are also present in many consumer products. Studies in humans and animals show that there may be negative health effects from exposure to certain PFAS. Completely stopping exposure to PFAS is not practical, because they are so common and present throughout the world.

Robert Edelman, PE

Director, Division of Technical Services

Phone: (804) 864-7490

Email: Robert.Edelman@vdh.virginia.gov

 

Bailey Davis

Chief of Field Operations

Phone: (804) 928-4811

Email: Bailey.Davis@vdh.virginia.gov

 

Phase 1 Sample Study Summary

The Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water (ODW), in conjunction with the Virginia Per and Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (VA PFAS) work group, designed the sample study to prioritize sites for measuring Per and Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) concentrations in drinking water and major sources of water and generate statewide occurrence data, subject to the limitations in 2020 Acts of Assembly Chapter 611 (HB586). The 2020 Acts of Assembly Chapter 611 states that in determining the current levels of PFAS contamination in public drinking water, “the Department of Health shall sample no more than 50 representative waterworks and major sources of water...”

Phase 1 sampling used a hybrid sampling approach, considering the following information:

  • Waterworks size and population served;
  • Known locations of potential PFAS contamination
  • Military or commercial airports (from U.S. Geological Survey data);
  • Unlined landfills;
  • Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) discharge locations;
  • Discharge points for publicly owned treatment works (POTWs); and
  • Major river networks in Virginia.

ODW selected the 17 largest waterworks in the state, which serve approximately 4.5 million consumers.  This group represents 23 raw water sources, 21 water treatment plants, and 12 consecutive connections.  ODW selected to monitor drinking water at the entry points to the distribution system, at the water treatment plants, and at consecutive connections at these 17 waterworks.  All these samples represent “finished water,” which means the drinking water has gone through the treatment process before going into the waterworks’ distribution system, i.e., the “entry point.”

Based on the compilation of potential sources of PFAS contamination, ODW and the PFAS work group selected 11 waterworks that use groundwater as their water source and have a well or wells to withdraw groundwater within 1 mile of potential sources of PFAS contamination.

ODW also identified major surface water supplies for sampling based on potential sources of PFAS contamination that DEQ identified from SIC codes and information in VPDES permits. This identified 45 drinking water intakes potentially impacted by the discharges.  ODW prioritized these 45 intakes and selected 22 major sources of water for sampling. ODW sampled surface water intakes or untreated source water as directed by HB586. Overall, a total of 45 waterworks were sampled in Phase 1.

Phase 2 Sample Study Summary

As follow-up to the PFAS monitoring and occurrence study undertaken in 2021, VDH, through the Office of Drinking Water (ODW) completed a Phase 2 PFAS Sampling Program with samples collected in July 2022, through December 2023, with some follow-up samples collected in early 2024. The purpose of this sampling program was to collect additional data on the occurrence of PFAS in Virginia public drinking water supplies, to assess impact on Virginia waterworks, and to help Virginia waterworks prepare to address PFAS.

Phase 2 sampling used a hybrid sampling approach, sampling at entry points selected with these guidelines:

  • Surface water sources at community waterworks
  • GUDI sources at community waterworks
  • Groundwater sources at potential risk from PFAS contamination
  • Groundwater sources at selected small community waterworks (prioritizing those serving less than 500 persons)
  • Spread sampling across the counties in the state, to the extent possible
  • Subject to budget and resource limitations

During 2023, VDH-ODW staff conducted sampling for PFAS at the entry point to the distribution systems. VDH-ODW staff reached out to the selected waterworks to schedule the sampling. VDH contracted with an external laboratory to perform all analyses for the study. The laboratory returned results to VDH following analysis. Following quality assurance/quality control review of the laboratory reports, VDH-ODW shared the reports with waterworks. Waterworks had no expenses for this sampling.

 

Phase 3 Sample Study Summary

Following up on the Phase 1 and Phase 2 PFAS monitoring and occurrence studies, VDH ODW completed a Phase 3 PFAS Sampling Program with samples collected in September 2024 through April 2025. The purpose of this sampling program was to collect additional data on the occurrence of PFAS in Virginia public drinking water supplies, to assess impact on Virginia waterworks, and to help Virginia waterworks prepare to address PFAS.

Phase 3 sampling used a hybrid sampling approach, sampling at entry points selected with these guidelines:

  • Groundwater sources at selected small community waterworks (prioritizing those serving less than 500 persons)
  • NTNC and community waterworks with groundwater sources at potential risk from PFAS contamination
  • Not already sampled by VDH ODW
  • Not covered by Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) sampling
  • Spread across the counties in the state, to the extent possible
  • Subject to budget and resource limitations

During 2024 and 2025, VDH-ODW staff conducted sampling for PFAS at the entry point to the distribution systems. VDH-ODW staff reached out to the selected waterworks to schedule the sampling. VDH contracted with an external laboratory to perform all analyses for the study. The laboratory returned results to VDH following analysis. Following quality assurance/quality control review of the laboratory reports, VDH-ODW shared the reports with waterworks. Waterworks had no expenses for this sampling.

PFAS Sample Results Summary

VDH-ODW has compiled and reviewed the sampling results and performed appropriate quality assurance/quality control procedures. The sample results from 2021 through 2025 are summarized on the PFAS web page in the ODW PFAS Dashboard. The Dashboard consists of a web map with clickable icons representing the sample locations. VDH provided technical assistance as requested throughout this process to the waterworks.

The following table provides a summary of the PFAS monitoring and occurrence study phases completed. The table contains counts of waterworks (water systems or systems) with sample results above the levels stated in the PFAS Rule (second column from left).

To address the PFAS above EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), waterworks will generally need to conduct additional sampling and identify actions, to bring the waterworks into compliance with the PFAS MCLs. Actions may include, but are not limited to, shutting down the source, replacing the source, blending with another source to bring the PFAS levels below the MCLs, or installing treatment.

 

PFAS Sample Summary

Analyte Criteria
parts per trillion (ppt)		 Phase 1    2021 Phase 2.1 2022 Phase 2.2 2023 Phase 3 2024-2025 Total**
PFOA (above 4.0) 4 systems None 5 systems 22 systems 30 systems
PFOS (above 4.0) 5 systems 3 systems 9 systems 13 systems systems
GenX (above 10)* 1 system 1 system None None 1 system
PFBS (above 2000)* None None None None None
PFNA (above 10)* None None None None None
PFHxS (above 10)* None None 1 system 3 systems 4 systems
Hazard Index (above 1; see above*) None None 1 system 1 system 2 systems
Waterworks to Address PFAS 7 4 9 26 58
Waterworks Sampled 45 48 221 228 476
Population Served 5,226,000 557,000 3,934,000 71,680 5,984,944

** Total includes some systems that were sampled in both Phase 1 and Phase 2; these systems were counted once in the total

 

If you have questions about the Phase 2 PFAS sampling program, please contact:

Robert Edelman, PE

Director of Technical Services,
Office of Drinking Water

804-864-7490

Robert.Edelman@vdh.virginia.gov
Last Updated: November 3, 2025