Current EPA drinking water standards fall short, group says
of ConsumerAffairsJuly 28, 2025
- Environmental Working Group estimates over 100,000 U.S. cancer cases could be linked to drinking water contaminants.
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New model shows dramatic public health gains possible by targeting multiple pollutants, not just single substances.
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Current EPA standards fall short of protecting public health, group says.
Efforts to reduce multiple contaminants in U.S. tap water could prevent more than 100,000 cancer cases, according to a new analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The nonprofit says current federal water standards fall far short of protecting Americans long-term health, and that targeting multiple pollutants simultaneously is the best way to make drinking water safer.
The study used a new risk assessment model that analyzed the cumulative impact of 19 different carcinogenic contaminants, including arsenic, disinfection byproducts, and radioactive substances. EWGs analysis suggests that if utilities and regulators focused on reducing just the top ten contaminants across the board, more than half of the projected cancer cases could be prevented.
“These findings underscore the urgent need to go beyond single-contaminant strategies,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., vice president for science investigations at EWG. Instead of tackling contaminants one at a time, utilities and policymakers should implement treatment solutions that reduce a wide array of pollutants.
The EWG is also calling for an overhaul of the EPAs outdated drinking water regulations, many of which havent been updated in decades. The group says more protective limits and better enforcement could significantly reduce the cancer burden linked to drinking water exposure.
Harmful substances in water
According to EWG, Americans using community water systems are exposed daily to mixtures of potentially harmful substancesyet federal law allows legal limits that are not always based on the latest science. The nonprofits research builds on previous work that found cumulative exposure to tap water contaminants could result in thousands of cancer cases nationwide.
EWGs latest recommendations include increasing federal and state investments in modern water treatment technology, improving pollution prevention efforts at the source, and establishing enforceable health-based limits on a broader range of contaminants.
Read the full release from EWG:
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2025/07/ewg-reducing-multiple-tap-water-contaminants-may-prevent-over
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