This bill mandates the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to conduct assessments every five years regarding the regulation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The assessments will focus on PFAS that are unregulated by state or federal law at the time of the evaluation, with the goal of determining whether a maximum contaminant level or other drinking water standards should be established for these substances. Additionally, the DEP is required to assess whether existing and proposed maximum contaminant levels adequately protect children's health, considering their lower body weight and higher water intake relative to adults.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the DEP must collaborate with the Drinking Water Quality Institute to implement these assessments and must submit a written report of the findings to both the Governor and the Legislature, as well as publish the report on its website. The bill aims to enhance the safety of drinking water by ensuring that regulations surrounding PFAS are regularly reviewed and updated to protect public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children.