Michigan PFAS Drinking Water Rules Moving Forward

Moving Michigan forward on PFAS drinking water regulations, the Science Advisory Workgroup recently provided its health-based values to the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART). These PFAS health-based values will be used by the State of Michigan to develop regulatory drinking water standards.


The MPART Science Advisory Workgroup, established through a directive from Governor Whitmer in March, identified health-based values for seven PFAS compounds:

  • PFOA: 8 ng/L (ppt)

  • PFOS: 16 ng/L (ppt)

  • PFNA: 6 ng/L (ppt)

  • PFHxS: 51 ng/L (ppt)

  • PFBS: 420 ng/L (ppt)

  • GenX: 370 ng/L (ppt)


In addition to the health-based values for the listed PFAS compounds, the Science Advisory Workgroup is recommending that water supply operators and MPART “work toward reducing contamination from other long-chain PFAS when found at levels above 6 ppt. “


The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy (EGLE) is in the process of creating PFAS drinking water standards. It is anticipated that EGLE will file a Request for Rulemaking to establish maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). The governor is calling for the completion of the proposed drinking water regulations by April 2020. The establishment of enforceable MCLs for PFAS compounds will require compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).


Merit is a national leading PFAS environmental laboratory, analyzing soil, wastewater, groundwater, drinking water, and other sample matrices. Merit is certified for the analysis of PFAS by ISO/IEC 17025. Analytical method certification for PFAS includes drinking water by EPA 537 rev. 1.1 and wastewater | groundwater | surface water by ASTM D7979 with Isotopic Dilution. Please contact Merit Laboratories for assistance on your PFAS testing needs.