Data / Federal rules / 2026-00021
National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for Perchlorate
The Environmental Protection Agency published this proposed rule in the Federal Register on January 6, 2026. Comments closed on March 9, 2026.
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What the agency says
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA" or the "Agency") is proposing a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for perchlorate and a health-based Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). In this action, the EPA is proposing to set the perchlorate MCLG at 0.02 mg/L (20 [micro]g/L). The EPA is also proposing and taking comment on setting an enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for perchlorate at 0.02 mg/ L (20 [micro]g/L), 0.04 mg/L (40 [micro]g/L), or 0.08 mg/L (80 [micro]g/L). The EPA is also proposing requirements for water systems to conduct monitoring for perchlorate in drinking water, take mitigation actions if the level exceeds the MCL, provide information about perchlorate to their consumers through public notification and consumer confidence reports, and report to their respective primacy agency. The Administrator has determined that the benefits of this regulation would not justify the costs; however, the EPA is required to issue an NPDWR and MCLG for perchlorate in response to the D.C. Circuit's decision in NRDC v. Regan.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-00021
- Type
- Proposed rule
- Action
- Proposed rule; request for public comment; notification of public hearing
- Agency
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Published
- January 6, 2026
- Comments due
- March 9, 2026
- Dates
- Comments must be received on or before March 9, 2026. Comments on the information collection provisions of the proposed rule under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) must be received by the Office of Management and Budget's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OMB-OIRA) on or before February 5, 2026. Please refer to the PRA section under "Statutory and Executive Order Reviews" in this preamble for specific instructions. Public hearing: The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing on February 19, 2026, at https://www.epa.gov/ sdwa/perchlorate-drinking-water. Please refer to the SUPPLEMENT
- Docket
- EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0592; FRL 11689-01-OW
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 2040-AG36
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 40 CFR 141; 40 CFR 142
- Topics
- Administrative practice and procedure; Chemicals; Environmental protection; Incorporation by reference; Indians-lands; Intergovernmental relations; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Water supply
- Significant
- Yes, under Executive Order 12866
- Pages
- 47
Other documents from the Environmental Protection Agency
Everything from the Environmental Protection Agency · Rules on administrative practice and procedure · Rules on chemicals · Rules on environmental protection · Published in January 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.