What the EPA's 2024 PFAS rule means for your tap water.
A plain-English guide to the federal PFAS limits, the 2031 utility compliance deadline, and what families can do at home today — with the lab data on what filtering actually removes.
The 60-second summary
- The EPA finalized federal PFAS limits on April 10, 2024 — the first nationwide drinking-water standards for "forever chemicals."
- The headline limits are 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. The rule's preamble states no level of exposure to either is considered safe.
- Utilities have until April 2031 to bring their water into compliance. The deadline was extended from 2029 to 2031 in May 2025.
- Other PFAS rules are in flux. The EPA is reconsidering the limits for four additional PFAS (PFHxS, PFNA, GenX, and the mixture rule) and reissuing regulations in 2026.
- USGS estimates at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains one or more PFAS compounds today.
- Filtering at home closes the gap. The Pure XP pitcher is independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P473 and reduces PFAS by 99.8%.
What PFAS are, and why they matter.
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a family of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals first produced in the 1940s. They're called "forever chemicals" because the carbon-fluorine bonds at their core are the strongest in organic chemistry. They don't meaningfully break down in the environment, and they don't break down in the human body.
You've already used them today. PFAS make non-stick cookware non-stick. They make rain jackets shed water. They keep grease off the inside of fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags. They were the active ingredient in firefighting foam at airports and military bases for decades. The qualities that make them useful — heat resistance, water resistance, longevity — are the same qualities that make them difficult to remove from soil and water.
The two most-studied PFAS are PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid, the "C8" chemical historically used in Teflon production) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, the active ingredient in Scotchgard until 2002). These are the two compounds the EPA's 2024 rule regulates most strictly.
What the EPA's National Primary Drinking Water Regulation says.
The EPA's PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) was finalized April 10, 2024 and became effective June 25, 2024. The headline numbers — Maximum Contaminant Levels, or MCLs — are measured in parts per trillion (ppt). For scale, one part per trillion is roughly one drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
| Compound | MCL | Status (May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid |
4.0 ppt | Active — EPA defending in litigation |
| PFOS Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid |
4.0 ppt | Active — EPA defending in litigation |
| PFHxS Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid |
10 ppt | Under reconsideration — repeal proposed |
| PFNA Perfluorononanoic acid |
10 ppt | Under reconsideration — repeal proposed |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid |
10 ppt | Under reconsideration — repeal proposed |
| Hazard Index Mixture of PFHxS, PFNA, GenX, PFBS |
1.0 | Under reconsideration — repeal proposed |
The rule's preamble — the EPA's own explanation of why it set these limits — states explicitly that no level of exposure to PFOA or PFOS is considered safe. The Maximum Contaminant Level Goal for both compounds is zero. The 4-ppt MCL was set because zero is not currently achievable for utilities at scale, not because 4 ppt is considered acceptable.
Source: U.S. EPA, "PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation," final rule April 10, 2024; Federal Register, Vol. 89, No. 81 (April 26, 2024).
What's already happened, and what comes next.
Federal water regulations move slowly by design — the rule itself is finalized years before utilities have to meet it. The PFAS rule is no exception, and the deadline has already shifted once.
From rule finalized to utility compliance
~7 years.
The EPA finalized the 4-ppt PFAS limit in April 2024. Utilities have until April 2031 to meet it. Filtering at home closes that gap today.
What home filtering actually removes.
There's only one NSF/ANSI standard that exists specifically to test filter performance against PFAS: NSF/ANSI P473, written for PFOA and PFOS reduction.
The Pure XP filter is independently lab-tested against P473 alongside four other NSF/ANSI standards. The PFAS reduction figure is from third-party laboratory testing on real PFOA and PFOS challenge water at the levels NSF/ANSI defines for the standard.
A starting concentration of 100 ppt — well above the EPA's 4-ppt MCL — would be reduced to roughly 0.2 ppt by a Pure XP filter operating to its tested specification. That's an order of magnitude below the federal limit.
Source: NSF International, NSF/ANSI Standard P473 — Drinking Water Treatment Units — PFOA & PFOS; Pure XP independent lab testing.
Don't wait until 2031.
The Pure XP pitcher reduces PFAS by 99.8% — independently tested against NSF/ANSI P473. 100-gallon filter capacity (about 3–4 months of typical household use). Replaceable cartridge, made in Palmetto, FL. $84.
Shop Pure XP PitcherWhy Pure XP for PFAS.
Tested against the right standard
Most pitcher filters are certified to NSF/ANSI 42 only — chlorine taste and odor. NSF/ANSI P473 is the standard developed specifically for PFAS reduction, and Pure XP is independently tested against it.
The actual lab number
99.8% reduction at the challenge concentration NSF defines. We publish the number rather than rounding to "over 99%" — the difference between 99% and 99.8% matters when starting concentrations are high.
NSF certified to Standard 42
Pure XP is also formally NSF certified for chlorine taste and odor — meaning NSF International itself audits the manufacturing facility and re-tests the product on an ongoing basis. Most competitors say "tested to NSF" without naming a standard.
Plus four more standards
Beyond PFAS, Pure XP is independently tested against NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401, and P231 — covering chlorine, lead, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and microbiological contaminants. The PFAS protection is one layer of a multi-standard filter.
Made in Palmetto, FL
Manufactured in our own facility, not contracted out. Vertical integration means we control every layer of media and every seal. That kind of accountability matters for a contaminant the EPA describes as having no safe level.
Replaceable cartridge
The Pure XP filter uses a replaceable inner cartridge that reduces plastic waste by up to 75% versus a typical pitcher filter. 100-gallon filter capacity, roughly 3–4 months of typical household use.
We surveyed our customers and asked them why they switched. Most said the same thing — they wanted to know exactly what was in their water, and exactly what was being filtered out. So we built Pure XP around answering that question.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EPA's PFAS rule still in effect?
Yes. The EPA's 4 parts-per-trillion limits on PFOA and PFOS are still in effect, and the EPA is defending them in ongoing litigation from utilities and industry groups. In May 2025 the agency extended the utility compliance deadline from 2029 to 2031 and announced it will reconsider the regulations for four other PFAS chemicals (PFHxS, PFNA, GenX, and the Hazard Index mixture rule), but the headline PFOA and PFOS limits remain.
What is the EPA's PFAS limit for drinking water?
The EPA set Maximum Contaminant Levels of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and 4 parts per trillion for PFOS, finalized in April 2024. The rule's preamble states that no level of exposure to PFOA or PFOS is considered safe — the MCL of 4 ppt was set because zero is not currently achievable for utilities at scale, not because 4 ppt is considered acceptable.
When do utilities have to meet the new PFAS limits?
Utilities must complete initial PFAS monitoring by 2027 and meet the Maximum Contaminant Levels by April 26, 2031. The compliance deadline was extended from 2029 to 2031 in May 2025, citing implementation challenges and economic hardship for smaller water systems.
How do I know if my tap water has PFAS?
A 2023 USGS study estimated that at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains one or more PFAS compounds, with similar contamination rates between public water supplies and private wells. Your local utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) is required to publish detected PFAS levels starting in 2027. The EWG Tap Water Database also catalogs known contaminants by zip code.
Does the Pure XP pitcher remove PFAS?
Yes. The Pure XP filter is independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P473 and reduces PFAS by 99.8%. NSF/ANSI P473 is the standard developed specifically to test filter performance against PFOA and PFOS — it's not a generic "PFAS-tested" claim, it's the specific test method the industry uses.
Should I be worried about PFAS in my tap water?
The EPA describes PFOA and PFOS as having no safe level of exposure, which is why the agency set the MCL goal at zero. That said, the rule was carefully designed so utilities can realistically comply, and household filtering is an established way to reduce exposure in the meantime. Many families filter at home not because they are panicking but because they would rather control what they drink than wait for utility-side compliance.
What's the difference between PFOA, PFOS, and the other PFAS?
PFOA and PFOS are the two most-studied "long-chain" PFAS — the original chemicals used in Teflon production and Scotchgard, respectively. The other regulated compounds (PFHxS, PFNA, GenX, PFBS) are mostly newer or shorter-chain replacements that turned out to have similar persistence. The EPA is currently reconsidering the rules for these four compounds, but the rules for PFOA and PFOS remain in place.
Where is the Pure XP made?
In our own facility in Palmetto, Florida. Epic is vertically integrated — manufacturing, quality control, and assembly all happen in-house, with filtration media sourced from the U.S. and Japan.
The rule moves slowly. You don't have to.
The Pure XP pitcher reduces PFAS by 99.8% — independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P473. NSF certified to Standard 42. Made in Palmetto, FL. $84.
Shop Pure XP Pitcher