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Reducing PFAS Exposure in Nevada: Local, State, and Federal Policy Solutions

08 August, 2025

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of human-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s in countless consumer and industrial products due to their resistance to heat, water, and oil. While these qualities make PFAS useful, they also make them persistent environmental contaminants. PFAS do not break down in the environment, accumulate in soil and water, and have been linked to numerous health effects, including risks to immune, reproductive, and developmental health and increased risk of some cancers.

Studies have show there are links between PFAS exposure and cancers of the kidney, testes, prostate and breast. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified one common PFAS, PFOA, as carcinogenic to humans.

To combat PFAS contamination and exposure, a coordinated effort at the local, state, and federal levels is needed—especially for states like Nevada, which are still developing comprehensive PFAS policies.

Federal Policy: Recent National Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted a significant final rule in April 2024, setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for several key PFAS in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Key provisions include:

  • MCLs of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS, and 10ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX[1].
  • A Hazard Index approach for mixtures of certain PFAS; water systems with HI≥1 must take mitigation actions[1].
  • Public water systems must complete initial PFAS monitoring by 2027 and ongoing monitoring thereafter. Systems exceeding MCLs must reduce levels and notify the public by 2029, with full reporting and compliance deadlines now expected in 2031[1].

These federal rules are a pivotal step, but enforcement relies heavily on state implementation and oversight.

State Policies: What Has Been Done and What Nevada Can Do

Many states acted to set their own PFAS drinking water standards even before the EPA’s national MCLs. For example, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan have adopted some of the strictest standards, with MCLs for individual PFAS compounds ranging from 6 to 20ppt[1].

State actions beyond drinking water include:

  • Bans on PFAS in food packaging: At least 17 states introduced legislation in 2025 to prohibit PFAS in food packaging, with some laws taking effect as early as January 2027[1].
  • Mandatory consumer notification when PFAS is detected above certain thresholds in water or products.
  • Requirements for utilities and water providers to create public PFAS information websites and issue direct notifications about contamination and solutions.

What Nevada Can Consider:

  • Adopt and Enforce Federal Standards: Nevada should promptly adopt the EPA’s final MCLs for PFAS in drinking water, ensuring the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) has robust authority and funding to monitor water, support remediation, and penalize violations.
  • Expand Food Packaging Regulations: Look at legislative models from states like New York and California to phase out PFAS in food packaging, cookware, and other consumer goods that contact food.
  • Broaden Product Restrictions: Progressively ban all non-essential uses of PFAS, targeting products such as firefighting foams, carpets, textiles, personal care items, and more, following the examples of leading states.
  • Enhance Transparency and Public Communication: Require public water systems to regularly report PFAS findings and remediation efforts, and create an easily accessible public PFAS information portal.

Local Policy Actions

Local governments, utilities, and public health agencies can play a front-line role:

  • Initiate Source Water Protection: Work with stakeholders to identify and limit PFAS sources through mapping and protective zoning around vulnerable groundwater and drinking water sources.
  • Encourage Cross-Agency Workgroups: Form city and county coalitions—combining environmental, health, and emergency agencies—to coordinate PFAS response, as implemented successfully in several other states[1].
  • Public Education Campaigns: Inform residents about PFAS risks, safe water sources, testing options, and proper disposal of PFAS-containing products.

Conclusion

PFAS contamination is a complex, multi-sector public health challenge. Nevada can reduce PFAS exposure by swiftly adopting and enforcing stringent drinking water standards, restricting PFAS in products and packaging, enhancing interagency coordination, and empowering locals with information and resources. With action at all levels—mirroring the best policies of other states and building on new federal requirements—Nevada can protect its communities from the harmful impacts of PFAS now and in the years to come[1].