EPA releases draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) including PFAS as a contaminant group; public comment to open upon Federal Register publication

EPA announced the draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) for drinking water, which includes PFAS as a contaminant group (alongside other contaminant groups). The draft CCL 6 is a pre-regulatory Safe Drinking Water Act step used to prioritize research and potential future regulatory determinations. The announcement indicates a 60-day public comment period will open after Federal Register publication, and EPA expects the final CCL 6 to be signed by Nov. 17, 2026. Compliance teams should consider whether to submit comments (e.g., on PFAS grouping, occurrence data, analytical methods, and prioritization rationale) and monitor downstream impacts on monitoring and future MCL/regulatory determinations.