DNREC and the DHSS Division of Public Health are working with federal agencies to protect the environment and public health in Delaware from the effects of a group of synthetic chemicals known as PFAS.

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DHSS and DNREC have reopened a grant opportunity for projects that will increase awareness of and outreach about PFAS in Delaware. Grant applications are accepted through Friday, March 27.

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include thousands of synthetic chemicals including PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. They have been used throughout the world in manufacturing, firefighting, and consumer products since the 1940s.

Delaware state agencies are working together and with partners to study PFAS in drinking water, PFAS in surface waters of the state and PFAS in wastewater systems in Delaware.

The state maintains a list of sites being investigated by DNREC for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, groundwater or surface water in Delaware.

An online course, PFAs Explained: The Science and Solutions in Delaware, provides an overview of the issue and specific guidance for consumers, business owners, researchers and regulators. This interactive learning module provides a clear, plain-language overview of what PFAS are, why they matter and what Delaware is doing to better understand and address them.

If you are interested in learning more about PFAS or additional DNREC training opportunities, please contact dow_concerns@delaware.gov for more information.

Delaware Residents’ Awareness of and Attitudes Toward PFAS

In 2025, DNREC conducted the state’s first survey to learn what Delawareans know about PFAS and how they feel about potential risks. The results of the survey show that while many residents are still learning about PFAS, some are already taking steps to reduce exposure. The findings will help DNREC and health partners share clear, science-based information so everyone can make informed choices for their families.

Read the full report: Delaware Residents’ Awareness of and Attitudes Toward PFAS

PFAS Contacts in Delaware State Government

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Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

Department of Health and Social Services

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Delaware PFAS Awareness and Outreach Grant

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) have reopened a grant opportunity for projects to increase awareness and outreach about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Delaware.

The grants, using Delaware PFAS Settlement Funds, are intended to support several projects statewide with a focus on underserved communities. 

A public webinar held on Nov. 6, 2025, recorded and available online, introduces the grant program. There is also a set of questions and answers, covering subjects including the kinds of projects that qualify and what organizations can apply for the grant. 

The grant opportunity is open for submissions through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 27. 

The email address to submit an application and all supporting documentation is pfas_grants@delaware.gov.

About PFAS

PFAS do not readily break down in the environment and can accumulate in living things. Some toxicological studies have found that exposure to these substances can cause serious health effects.

PFAS are considered “emerging contaminants” by federal environmental and public health regulators. A group of state and federal agencies are investigating PFAS, their sources, and their presence in the environment. This group includes DNREC, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

In 2018, the DNREC Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances adopted a policy to define where sampling for PFAS may occur in groundwater and surface water within the state. In 2023, this policy was updated to include other media and add select PFAS as hazardous substances regulated under the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act (HSCA), pertinent aspects of the addition, as well as expectations related to sampling and characterization of these emerging contaminants. (Learn more about the PFAS sampling policy update)

In April of 2024, the EPA adopted a rule to designate PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) known as Superfund. The designation allows the EPA to investigate and clean up releases of these substances into the environment. A companion policy also directs the EPA to focus on parties that have manufactured PFAS or used PFAS in their manufacturing process. Learn more the EPA PFAS cleanup rule or read the EPA’s PFAS Cleanup rule.

DNREC also lists PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances as well as six other PFAS compounds including:

• Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
• Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
• Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
• Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
• Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS)
• Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, or GenX chemicals)

Related Topics:  drinking water, EPA, GenX, groundwater, Health and Safety, HSCA, PFAS, PFOA, superfund, waste and hazardous substances, water filtration, well