EPA claims ‘major win’ on drinking water safety, but regulations may be years away
By Sarah Owermohle
Published on April 2, 2026.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is attempting to determine how microplastics and pharmaceutical medications affect the safety of the nation's tap water. The agency has added these substances to the drinking water Contaminant Candidate List, or CCL, a list of potential contaminants that are not currently regulated. However, it could take years for any regulations to take effect, if proposed at all. The EPA has also announced a $144 million effort to better measure, understand and remove microplastic from human blood, tissues and organs. The move is seen as a major win for the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, spearheaded by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Critics argue that the EPA does not have to regulate these contaminants due to its review of the list every five years.
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