The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated a significant effort to safeguard drinking water from microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and various other pollutants.
“For the first time in the program’s history, EPA is designating both microplastics and pharmaceuticals as priority contaminant groups—a direct response to the concerns of millions of Americans who have long demanded answers about what they and their families are drinking every day,” the agency stated.
The EPA has released a draft of its Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) for public comment, which aims to address risks in public water systems. The draft CCL 6 includes four contaminant categories: microplastics, pharmaceuticals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and disinfection byproducts, as well as 75 chemicals and nine microbes potentially present in drinking water.
This initiative aims to protect drinking water from microplastics—tiny plastic particles that have been identified in human blood, breast milk, and various organs. Pharmaceuticals, such as antidepressants, hormones, antibiotics, and other medications, often enter water systems through human waste and improper disposal methods.
In conjunction with this, the EPA is releasing health benchmarks for 374 pharmaceuticals, providing states, tribes, and local water systems with essential tools to evaluate risks and respond to the presence of drug residues at concerning levels.
Published on April 6, 2026.
