Delaware Water News
A weekly-updated roundup of Delaware and national water-quality news, regulatory changes, and utility announcements.
About this page
A running log of Delaware water news
This page is updated weekly with brief, sourced roundups of Delaware and national water-quality news — boil water advisories, new regulations, utility announcements, and anything else practically relevant to homeowners, schools, and facilities. Newest entries are listed first. Each entry links to its original source.
July 9, 2026
EPA proposes extending PFOA/PFOS compliance deadline, moves to rescind rules for four other PFAS
On May 18, 2026, EPA proposed two rules affecting the 2024 national PFAS drinking water rule: one would let public water systems request until 2031 (instead of 2029) to meet the federal PFOA and PFOS limits (which remain 4.0 ppt each), and a separate proposal would rescind the federal drinking water regulations for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and the related Hazard Index mixture limit, citing a Safe Drinking Water Act procedural issue with how those standards were originally set. EPA held a public hearing on July 7, 2026, and public comment remains open through July 20, 2026.
Delaware public water systems are subject to these federal requirements, with implementation overseen by the Office of Drinking Water. Any change to the federal compliance schedule affects Delaware systems directly.
Read more: EPA Proposed PFOA and PFOS Compliance Extension Rule · EPA Proposed PFAS Rescission Rule · See our PFAS in Delaware Public Water guide for background.
March 31, 2026 — Statewide
Delaware releases first PFAS Implementation Plan, includes free private-well testing program
DNREC, the Division of Public Health, and the Delaware Department of Agriculture jointly released a Strategic Framework for Contaminants of Emerging Concern and the state's first PFAS Implementation Plan under that framework. The plan builds on statewide public-water PFAS sampling that began in 2022 and a public-notification law that took effect in 2025, and includes community outreach grants and a private well testing program described as launching later in 2026. Most of the state's PFAS work is funded through Delaware's share of the DOJ's 2021 settlement with DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva.
If a free or subsidized private-well PFAS testing option becomes available under this program, it would be a meaningful, cost-free way for well owners to get certified results — see our Private Well Testing guide for what testing normally involves, and check DNREC's PFAS program directly for current program details and eligibility.
Read more: State of Delaware news release.
February 5, 2026 — Frederica, Kent County
Boil water advisory lifted after loss of water pressure
The Town of Frederica issued a boil water advisory on February 3, 2026 after a loss of positive water pressure in its distribution system, which can allow contamination to enter the system. Samples came back showing no E. coli or total coliform bacteria, and the town lifted the advisory on February 5, 2026.
This is a useful reminder that a pressure loss — not just a contamination finding — is enough to trigger a precautionary advisory, and that an advisory is lifted only after clean sample results, not just after the underlying pressure issue is fixed. See our Boil Water Advisories guide for what to do when one is issued, and our Kent County guide for local system links.
Read more: Town of Frederica advisory-lifted notice.
Ongoing
Delaware Office of Drinking Water updates
For a broader, ongoing feed of Delaware-specific drinking water program updates, the Office of Drinking Water and Drinking Water Watch publish current public-notice and compliance information directly.
See: Delaware Office of Drinking Water and Drinking Water Watch for current system-level notices.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How often is this page updated?
Weekly, with a mix of Delaware water news and national regulatory updates relevant to homeowners, schools, and facilities.
Where do these updates come from?
Each entry links directly to its original source — a state or federal agency, a utility, or a news outlet — so you can read the full story rather than relying on our summary alone.
Can I suggest a story for this page?
Yes — send it to us using the contact options below.
DelawareWaterQuality.com is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency or water utility. Each news item links to its original source — always verify time-sensitive details (such as active boil water advisories) directly with the source.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-11. Report a correction.