2024 Regulatory Outlook: PFAS, Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

By Brian Redder & Erica Brown

As 2024 commences, EPA is hard at work preparing to finalize two major rulemakings under the Safe Drinking Water Act by the end of the year: the PFAS national primary drinking water regulations and the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). While the PFAS regulations are currently being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget, the LCRI public comment period on the proposed rule was slated to close on Feb. 5. If both rules are finalized this year with three-year compliance dates, as proposed, drinking water systems would be expected to comply with both rulemakings by the close of 2027. At this point, EPA’s estimated compliance cost of these two rules combined is approximately $2.87 to $4.8 billion annually.