PFAS in Tampa Bay: the facts and the timeline

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of manufactured chemicals that have been used for decades in things like non-stick coatings and firefighting foam. They've turned up in low concentrations in water supplies across the country, including parts of Tampa Bay, and regulators have been tightening drinking-water rules around them over the past several years.

In April 2024, EPA finalized the first federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds, setting PFOA and PFOS — the two most-studied — at 4 parts per trillion each (Holland & Knight summary of EPA's April 2024 final rule). The compliance deadline was originally April 2029. In May 2026, EPA proposed extending that deadline to 2031 for systems that request it — as of this writing, that proposal hasn't been finalized, so 2029 remains the enforceable deadline until EPA acts (EPA, Proposed PFOA and PFOS Compliance Extension Rule).

As of this writing, EPA has also proposed rescinding the 2024 limits for four of the other PFAS compounds and PFAS mixtures, while keeping the 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS limits in place. This is a live, still-moving rulemaking — check EPA's own PFAS drinking water page for the current status before treating any of this as final.

In May 2026, Tampa Bay Water's board approved about $239 million for PFAS and total-organic-carbon treatment at five facilities across the region, with rollout running from 2026 through 2031 (Tampa Bay Water board release). Pasco County's Southeast Water Treatment Plant averaged 7.95 ppt for PFOS in 2024 sampling — above the 4 ppt federal limit that utilities must meet by the federal compliance deadline.

Utilities in our area are investing hundreds of millions of dollars ahead of the 2031 compliance deadline, on a planned schedule.

A reverse-osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 can carry a PFAS-reduction claim — but which one depends on the specific certified model. A legacy claim covers PFOA and PFOS specifically; a newer "Total PFAS reduction" claim (from a 2022 standard revision) covers seven compounds down to a tighter combined limit. We'll confirm and name the exact tier for the equipment we install before making any PFAS claim — we won't say "removes all PFAS" or "eliminates forever chemicals," because no certification supports that as a blanket claim.