Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
In Committee
Summary
Would create a national Clean Water Act framework to limit and test PFAS discharges into U.S. waters. It would require EPA to set human-health water quality criteria, industry effluent limits, a standard lab test, and mandatory monitoring across several sectors.
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- Communities: EPA would publish human-health water quality criteria for every measurable PFAS within three years, giving states and utilities official benchmarks for safety.
- Publicly owned treatment works: It would authorize grants to help municipalities run pretreatment programs and monitor local PFAS sources, including $200 million per year for FY2026–2030.
- Industries: EPA would issue phased effluent limits for specified sectors, with rules due between 2026 and 2028 for groups such as organic chemicals, electroplating, textiles, landfills, leather tanning, paint, and plastics.
- Testing and monitoring: The bill would require immediate PFAS monitoring for listed dischargers and direct EPA to adopt Method 1633A for PFAS analysis by Jan. 31, 2026.
*Would authorize $200 million per year for pretreatment and $12 million per year for other PFAS activities for FY2026–2030, about $1.1 billion total, which would increase federal outlays if appropriated.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Grants for local wastewater treatment
If enacted, the EPA would be able to award grants to owners and operators of publicly owned treatment works to run PFAS-related pretreatment programs and local-source monitoring. The bill would authorize $200 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for these grants. Grants would depend on Congress actually appropriating the money and would remain available until spent.
Immediate PFAS discharge monitoring rules
If enacted, the EPA would require immediate monitoring of discharges of every measurable PFAS starting on the date of enactment. The monitoring would cover the industries on the effluent-guideline schedule and also pulp and paper, airports, and electrical and electronic components. Monitoring would include discharges into publicly owned treatment works.
New PFAS discharge limits for industries
If enacted, the EPA would be required to set effluent limits for every measurable PFAS for many industry groups. EPA must take final action by September 30, 2026 for some industries, by September 30, 2027 for others, and by September 30, 2028 for more industries. EPA must also decide by December 31, 2026 whether to start rulemaking for pulp and paper, airports, and electrical components. If EPA starts those rules, final guidelines must be published by December 31, 2028.
Definitions for PFAS regulation
If enacted, the bill would add statutory definitions for key PFAS terms effective on enactment. It would define "measurable" by reference to the federal test method and define perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances by chemical structure. It would also tie ‘‘effluent limitation’’ and ‘‘treatment works’’ to existing Clean Water Act definitions.
Funding for EPA PFAS work
If enacted, the bill would authorize $12 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for EPA to carry out most of this section. The authorization would remain available until expended. Congress would still need to appropriate the money; this does not itself provide funds.
Federal PFAS testing method set
If enacted, the EPA would publish Method 1633A as the federal PFAS test method by January 31, 2026. The rulemaking must follow the federal rulemaking process. Labs and regulated facilities would use this method to determine which PFAS are "measurable" under the bill.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
NH • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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