USEPA announced today the intention, under Clean Water Act authority, to issue an information request to the largest publicly owned sewage treatment works (POTWs).  USEPA seeks public comment on the proposal by May 28, 2024.  The first step would be an electronic questionnaire to about 400 POTWs.  Questions will focus on industrial users discharging to the POTW, known or suspected sources of PFAS discharges to the POTW, and wastewater and sewage sludge management practices of the POTW.

The EPA will use the answers to the questionnaires to select a subset of 200 to 300 POTWs to participate in a two-phase sampling program.

• Phase 1 will require each selected POTW to collect and analyze one-time grab samples of industrial user effluent, domestic wastewater influent, POTW influent, and POTW effluent for forty specific PFAS and adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF).
• Phase 2 will require selected POTWs to collect and analyze one-time grab samples of sewage sludge for forty specific PFAS and ancillary parameters.

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