On May 28, EPA announced public meetings of the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) to discuss the EPA’s recently released draft Sixth Candidate Contaminant List (CCL 6). The Augmented Drinking Water Committee will receive a briefing from EPA on the draft CCL 6, review the list, and discuss and prepare responses to the charge questions related to the list.
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires EPA to consult with the scientific community and seek recommendations of the SAB when developing and finalizing the CCL. Members of the SAB provide independent scientific advice to the EPA Administrator on science that affects regulatory decision-making, and may also serve on the SAB's standing committees, including the Drinking Water Committee, which provides scientific and technical advice to EPA’s national drinking water program.
On April 6, EPA published the draft CCL 6, which represents the list of contaminants that are not currently subject to any proposed or promulgated national primary drinking water regulation. The list includes 75 chemicals, 9 microbes, and 4 chemical groups that represent tens of thousands of individual chemicals, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and a list of specific microbial disinfection byproducts (MDBPs).
The SAB will meet on the following dates, in ET, to discuss the draft CCL 6.
- June 15, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- June 29, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- June 30, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- July 1, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
- August 26, 2026, from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
All meeting materials, including the agendas, will be available on EPA’s SAB webpage.
EPA notes that public comments for consideration by EPA’s federal advisory committees have a different purpose than those submitted to Agency program offices. Specifically, the notice demonstrates that information submitted to the SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific or technical information and/or analysis related to the draft CCL 6. Interested members of the public can submit either oral or written statements for consideration in each meeting according to the instructions in the Federal Register Notice.
AMWA is separately working with the regulatory subcommittee to provide comments to EPA on the draft CCL 6. Comments are due to the Agency on the list by June 5.