May 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday it plans to weaken and reconsider federal guidelines on toxic "forever chemicals" in America's drinking water, citing compliance reasons.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the policy change will "work to protect Americans from PFAS" in their drinking water as it provides "common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance."

In 2023, the Biden administration announced new federal regulations that required water utility companies to filter six types of different chemicals known as Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, out of water systems.

It established a "first-ever" national standard on PFAS in drinking water last year in April.

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