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Vermont PFAS

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of human-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s. These chemicals are used to make household and commercial products that resist heat and chemical reactions and repel oil, stains, grease and water. PFAS chemicals include PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid).

PFAS chemicals from household and commercial products may find their way into water, soil, and biosolids. As a result, PFAS have been found found in people, fish, and wildlife all over the world. Some PFAS do not break down easily and therefore stay in the environment for a very long time, especially in water. Some PFAS can also stay in people’s bodies for a long time.

What is Vermont doing to address PFAS?

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources through the Department of Environmental Conservations is working with the Vermont Department of Health to continue to reduce or eliminate PFAS in commercial products and industrial uses; identify sources of PFAS exposure in Vermont; protect Vermonters from existing exposures to PFAS; and encourage the EPA to provide national leadership on the management of PFAS.

The department has been working on PFAS since 2016 when widespread groundwater contamination was discovered in Bennington. Review the 2023 PFAS Roadmap or the Roadmap Summary, which outlines strategic priorities relating to PFAS and summarizes the actions taken by DEC to address PFAS in Vermont. 

For any questions or concerns, call the PFAS hotline at 802-693-0206.

2023 PFAS Road Map
Federal PFAS Contaminant Levels for Public Water Systems
FAQs & Reports
PFAS Health Information
PFAS in Drinking Water
PFAS in Surface Water
Southwest VT PFAS Response
Bennington PFAS Studies
EPA Information on PFAS
PFAS Certified Laboratories
PFAS Documents

Federal PFAS Contaminant Levels for Public Water Systems

On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rule updating the drinking water standard for some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in public drinking water systems. The drinking water standard is called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL); MCLs are important in protecting public health by setting limits on the level of contaminants in drinking water.

We know PFAS are harmful to your health. Fortunately, Vermont has regulated PFAS in public drinking water since 2019 and has spent the past few months preparing for the release of this new regulation. Experts in the Vermont Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation are now reviewing the new regulations EPA released today, along with the significant supporting technical reports, to determine how these new MCLs will impact Vermont’s approach to managing PFAS in drinking water. In the coming weeks, the State will update information and guidance on our websites, as well as work directly with affected public water systems – connecting them with technical and financial resources to achieve compliance with EPA’s new PFAS MCLs.