EPA Proposed ICR for Study of PFAS in Wastewater

On March 26, EPA published a Federal Register (FR) Notice to solicit comments on its proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to sample and collect data on PFAS in wastewater. Per EPA’s Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15, the Agency will conduct a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) Influent PFAS Study to collect and analyze nationwide data on industrial discharges of PFAS to POTWs as well as PFAS in POTW influent, effluent, and sewage sludge. The study will prioritize and select 200 to 300 POTWs to participate in a two-phase PFAS sampling program that will include up to 2,000 industrial facilities. The study will use EPA Method 1633 to sample for 40 PFAS and EPA Draft Method 1621 to sample for adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF).

The data collected from this study will help identify PFAS in wastewater discharges and inform decisions for additional studies and future regulations to control PFAS releases into the environment. These actions can potentially help protect downstream drinking water utilities from sources of PFAS. Comments are due by May 28, 2024. For more information, visit EPA’s website and read the FR Notice.