What it will take to meet new PFAS regulations

+ approved oil field in Arctic likely not the last US Edition - Today's top story: New PFAS guidelines – a water quality scientist explains technology and investment needed to get forever chemicals out of US drinking water [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 March 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” are a group of pollutants with a bad reputation – and for good reason. By now, most people know that a scratched nonstick pan is bad for you, as the consumption of PFAS from the surface is linked to a myriad of health problems, from cancer to heart disease and pregnancy issues. Despite their harmful effects, PFAS have historically been under-regulated, with only a few states having laws in place to cap levels of PFAS in products or drinking water. But that is about to change. On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a proposed set of guidelines governing the allowable limits of six common PFAS. At present, around 40% of U.S. drinking water systems have levels of PFAS higher than the proposed limits. Joe Charbonnet, an environmental engineer who studies water treatment systems at Iowa State University, explains [what it will take to remove the harmful chemicals.]( “There are two major technologies that most utilities consider for removing PFAS from drinking water: activated carbon or ion exchange systems,” writes Charbonnet in a Q&A in which he explores the implications of the proposed regulations. Also today: - [Hikers' socks and invasive species]( - [Podcast: The Iraq war, 20 years on]( - [It’s Friday…and that means the quiz]( Daniel Merino Associate Breaking News Editor and Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast PFAS can be found in hundreds of water systems in the U.S. d3sign/Moment via Getty Images [New PFAS guidelines – a water quality scientist explains technology and investment needed to get forever chemicals out of US drinking water]( Joe Charbonnet, Iowa State University The drinking water systems serving over 70 million people may not meet newly proposed water quality standards. It could cost hundreds of billions of dollars to fix that. Environment + Energy - [Is the Western drought finally ending? That depends on where you look]( Dan McEvoy, Desert Research Institute Reservoirs and streams are in good shape in California and the Great Basin, but groundwater and ecosystems are another story. And then there’s the Colorado River Basin. - [3 reasons the Willow Arctic oil drilling project was approved – it’s the latest battle in a long fight over Alaska’s North Slope]( Scott L. Montgomery, University of Washington Biden vowed ‘no more drilling on federal lands,’ but Russia’s war on Ukraine and pressures at home are hard to ignore. - [Those seeds clinging to your hiking socks may be from invasive plants – here’s how to avoid spreading them to new locations]( Megan Dolman, Boise State University Invasive species cause billions of dollars in damage across the US every year. Hikers and backpackers can take simple steps to avoid spreading seeds and making the problem worse. 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Education - [The state takeover of Houston public schools is about more than school improvement]( Domingo Morel, New York University Political power and a history of racism lurk behind the recent state takeover of the Houston public school system. Science + Technology - [Voice deepfakes are calling – here’s what they are and how to avoid getting scammed]( Matthew Wright, Rochester Institute of Technology; Christopher Schwartz, Rochester Institute of Technology Powerful AI tools available to anyone with an internet connection make it easy to impersonate someone’s voice, increasing the threat of phone scams. From our international editions - [The forward march of labor restarts with historic strikes in France and the UK]( - [Progress in detection tech could render submarines useless by the 2050s. What does it mean for the AUKUS pact?]( - [How we created the first map of an insect brain – and what it means for our understanding of the human brain]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( A Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided with what over the Black Sea on March 14? - A. An endangered African stork - B. A blimp advertising Turkish coffee - C. An American surveillance drone - D. A Bulgarian oil rig [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [Instagram]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. 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