PFOA/PFOS Reduction Claims Requirements Added to NSF Standards for Residential Drinking Water Treatment Devices


The NSF International joint committee of stakeholders that maintains the American National Standards for drinking water treatment and reverse osmosis (RO) devices recently updated two standards to include test methods and other requirements for the reduction of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFOA and PFOS are among the most common groundwater contaminants of the perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) family of chemicals. To comply with the standards, a device must reduce PFOA and PFOS concentrations in water to below the 70 parts per trillion (ppt) health advisory level set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Devices must also comply with material and physical requirements of NSF/ANSI 53: Drinking Water Treatment Units – Health Effects or NSF/ANSI 58: Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Treatment Systems. Previously, the PFOA and PFOS performance requirements were outlined in a protocol named NSF P473: Drinking Water Treatment Units – PFOS & PFOA. To date, 76 different products made by 10 manufacturers have been certified by NSF International to reduce PFOA and PFOS under the NSF protocol. “Given the number of communities impacted by PFAS contamination of their drinking water sources, this update is very timely,” said Jessica Evans, Director of Standards Development at NSF International. “In addition to PFOA and PFOS, the joint committee overseeing NSF/ANSI 53 and NSF/ANSI 58 may soon consider requirements for the reduction of other PFAS chemicals.” Development and continuous maintenance of NSF/ANSI 53 and NSF/ANSI 58 are facilitated by NSF International according to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) policies, which require consensus from a balanced group of stakeholders from industry, regulatory and user groups, and consideration of public comments. In addition to facilitating the development of consensus standards, NSF International operates a separate ANSI-accredited certification program. To find products certified for reduction of PFOA and PFOS by NSF International, visit NSF's certification listings or contact the NSF International consumer information team at info@nsf.org or +1.800.673.8010. To schedule an interview with an NSF International expert on standards development or drinking water filtration, contact Thomas Frey, APR at media@nsf.org or +1.734.214.6242.

May 31, 2019


Topic Area: Press Release


Recent Posts

Case Study: How NYU Langone Rebuilt for Resilience After Superstorm Sandy

Although the damage was severe, it provided a valuable opportunity for NYU Langone to assess structural vulnerabilities and increase facility resilience.


Frederick Health Hospital Faces 5 Lawsuits Following Ransomware Attack

The lawsuits accuse FHH of inadequate cybersecurity, poor breach notification and failing to protect patients from identity theft risks.


Arkansas Methodist Medical Center and Baptist Memorial Health Care to Merge

They have signed a non-binding letter of intent to complete a shared mission agreement to merge the two organizations.


Ground Broken on Intermountain Saratoga Springs Multi-Specialty Clinic

The clinic is scheduled to open and start seeing patients in the fall of 2026.


Electrical Fire Tests Resilience of Massachusetts Hospital

Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital used opportunity to renovate key systems and components and expand facility operations.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.