Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 6 (CCL 6) - Draft
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The list identifies 75 individual chemicals, 4 chemical groups (disinfection byproducts, microplastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals), and 9 microbes that are not currently regulated but are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems and may require future regulation. This draft does not impose any immediate requirements on water systems. It serves as the first step in the regulatory process to prioritize research, data collection, and potential regulatory determinations for at least five contaminants every five years. The EPA used a three-step process involving building a large chemical and microbial universe from multiple data sources, screening to a Preliminary Contaminant Candidate List using a points-based system, and final expert review to select the most concerning substances. Comments are due by June 5, 2026.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Draft CCL 6 includes 75 chemicals, 4 chemical groups (DBPs, microplastics, PFAS, pharmaceuticals), and 9 microbes
- Total of 88 contaminants listed compared to 81 in CCL 5 published in 2022
- Public comment period ends on June 5, 2026
+ 3 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
EPA must publish a Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) every five years
EPA must make regulatory determinations on whether to regulate at least five contaminants from the CCL with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) in future separate actions
Interested parties must submit comments on draft CCL 6 by June 5, 2026, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0946
EPA must consider all information and comments received in response to the notice of availability when determining the final CCL 6
Commenters must not submit electronically any Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute