--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We notified the EPA 18 years ago that…" description: "\"We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019 there are still no federal regulatory limits..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg" --- # We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking… ![“We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019 there are still no federal regulatory limits.” quote by Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg) > “We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019 there are still no federal regulatory limits.” [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The delay in regulating PFOA shows how bureaucratic inertia can endanger public health despite clear evidence. **In simple terms:** Regulation lag harms health. Key Takeaway Advocate for stricter chemical safety laws. Themes environment public health policy accountability Mood concerned determined Type advocacy informational When to use this quote - environmental activism - legal action - community health monitoring - policy reform - public awareness Key Concepts regulatory failure industrial pollution risk communication Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can accelerate chemical safety regulations? - How can citizens hold agencies accountable? A Different Perspective Regulatory change often faces powerful industry opposition and political gridlock. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [18 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/18-years-234310/) [Drinking water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-water/) [Federal Regulatory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-regulatory-3674742/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Notified Epa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notified-epa-3674740/) [Pfoa Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pfoa-drinking-3674739/) [Public health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-health/) [Regulatory Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulatory-limits-3674741/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [There was pressure on the EPA to come out with a drinking water guideline, which it did in 2016. And when that guideline came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-was-pressure-on-the-epa-to-come-out-with-a-drinking-water/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I remember when I was - I must've been 17 or 18 years old - I remember 'The Empire Strikes Back' had a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-remember-when-i-was-i-must-ve-been-17-or-18-years-old-i-remember/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [I had an opportunity to start going around the world when I was about 18 years old. So, I did. That's one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldar-djangirov/i-had-an-opportunity-to-start-going-around-the-world-when-i-was-about/) [Eldar Djangirov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldar-djangirov/) > [At 18 years old, you don't think about the impact the job will have on the future. You're not completely switched on to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keeley-hazell/at-18-years-old-you-don-t-think-about-the-impact-the-job-will-have-on/) [Keeley Hazell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keeley-hazell/) > [I'm also the father of three beautiful children and I've been married to my wife for 18 years, and we've been together for 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bryk/i-m-also-the-father-of-three-beautiful-children-and-i-ve-been-married/) [Greg Bryk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bryk/) > [And last, my mom. I don’t think you know what you did. You had my brother when you were 18 years old. Three years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/and-last-my-mom-i-don-t-think-you-know-what-you-did-you-had-my/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [“18 Years old and people still put me in the shoes of "Kiddo".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/18-years-old-and-people-still-put-me-in-the-shoes-of-kiddo/) [Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/) > [Ever notice your Parents spend The First 18 Months Trying To Make You Stand Up And Talk. And The Next 18 Years Trying To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/ever-notice-your-parents-spend-the-first-18-months-trying-to-make-you/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [It takes a great strength of character to arrive at Real at 18 years and make a journey like I have so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-varane/it-takes-a-great-strength-of-character-to-arrive-at-real-at-18-years/) [Raphael Varane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-varane/) > [My mother was an immigrant from Lebanon to the United States. She came when she was 18 years old in 1920.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-j-mitchell/my-mother-was-an-immigrant-from-lebanon-to-the-united-states-she-came/) [George J. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-j-mitchell/) > [I made 'iCarly' when I was 18 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-made-icarly-when-i-was-18-years-old/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [Something very unique about Germany is that once you are suspected or accused of having worked for the Stassi, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/something-very-unique-about-germany-is-that-once-you-are-suspected-or/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [I didn't expect I will get the Arjuna at 18 years. I thought 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/i-didn-t-expect-i-will-get-the-arjuna-at-18-years-i-thought-19/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [I worked 18 years to become an overnight success. Now MagicPlace.com will short circuit that process for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-angel/i-worked-18-years-to-become-an-overnight-success-now-magicplace-com/) [Criss Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-angel/) > [If you stay on the air for 18 years, people know you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/if-you-stay-on-the-air-for-18-years-people-know-you/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) ## More by Robert Bilott > [You know, really, it's not easy taking a 20 year story and condensing it into two hours. But they did a fantastic job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/you-know-really-it-s-not-easy-taking-a-20-year-story-and-condensing/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There are certain systems that I think are not working well - that's the regulatory system, the whole system of how we regulate chemicals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-are-certain-systems-that-i-think-are-not-working-well-that-s/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I had spent the prior eight years working at my firm primarily representing big chemical companies, helping them comply with all the different state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-had-spent-the-prior-eight-years-working-at-my-firm-primarily/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [Well, you know, my grandmother actually grew up, you know, her whole family, my mom's family outside of Parkersburg, West Virginia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/well-you-know-my-grandmother-actually-grew-up-you-know-her-whole/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [My family said that a big firm was where you'd get the most opportunities. I knew nobody who had ever worked at a firm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/my-family-said-that-a-big-firm-was-where-you-d-get-the-most/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [And in my world, when I was dealing with this for our chemical company clients, you had lists of regulated hazardous materials, and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/and-in-my-world-when-i-was-dealing-with-this-for-our-chemical-company/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [We found out that we were dealing with a completely unregulated chemical, this chemical PFOA. This was a chemical that was a completely manmade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-found-out-that-we-were-dealing-with-a-completely-unregulated/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [You know, I started with the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Cincinnati back in 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/you-know-i-started-with-the-law-firm-of-taft-stettinius-hollister-in/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There was pressure on the EPA to come out with a drinking water guideline, which it did in 2016. And when that guideline came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-was-pressure-on-the-epa-to-come-out-with-a-drinking-water/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [If we can't get where we need to go to protect people through our regulatory channels, through our legislative process, then unfortunately what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/if-we-can-t-get-where-we-need-to-go-to-protect-people-through-our/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [There's got to be a point in time where the reality comes home and people realize, here are the facts, and this is either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/there-s-got-to-be-a-point-in-time-where-the-reality-comes-home-and/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I was representing our chemical company clients, and I would routinely talk with or meet with the DuPont attorneys, would be there representing DuPont…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-was-representing-our-chemical-company-clients-and-i-would-routinely/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [I'm not stupid, and the people around me aren't stupid. You can't ignore the economic realities of the ways that business is run and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/i-m-not-stupid-and-the-people-around-me-aren-t-stupid-you-can-t/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [People were getting sick. It seemed, at least to me when I started looking at the information, looking at the documents, that this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/people-were-getting-sick-it-seemed-at-least-to-me-when-i-started/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) > [We're talking about a chemical that's out there. Not just on one farm in West Virginia, not even just in the public water of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-re-talking-about-a-chemical-that-s-out-there-not-just-on-one-farm/) [Robert Bilott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) [Explore all 19 Robert Bilott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/) ## More Drinking water quotes > [Your zip code or your income level should not dictate your access to healthy drinking water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/your-zip-code-or-your-income-level-should-not-dictate-your-access-to/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) > [“We have made some collective mistakes as a species, it’s true – invested too much power in things we can’t see, let alone control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/we-have-made-some-collective-mistakes-as-a-species-it-s-true-invested/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Over and over, we have to go back to the beginning. We should not be ashamed of this. It is good. It's like drinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/over-and-over-we-have-to-go-back-to-the-beginning-we-should-not-be/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Bromates are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, but officials are required to test for them only when water leaves a treatment plant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/bromates-are-regulated-by-the-safe-drinking-water-act-but-officials/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“Is there any difference between a happy and a lucky man? A happy is someone who finds an oasis with drinking water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/is-there-any-difference-between-a-happy-and-a-lucky-man-a-happy-is/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [We are working on a lot of innovative ways to provide safer drinking water to the American public. Innovative financing ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/we-are-working-on-a-lot-of-innovative-ways-to-provide-safer-drinking/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) > [“At the farm, in our hut, they cooked plain rice porridge and added soy sauce for taste, which nearly rivaled the thrill of drinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-h-lau/at-the-farm-in-our-hut-they-cooked-plain-rice-porridge-and-added-soy/) [Jennifer H. Lau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-h-lau/) > [Astronauts living on the International Space Station will soon be getting their drinking water from a new system that recycles their urine into drinkable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-meyers/astronauts-living-on-the-international-space-station-will-soon-be/) [Seth Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-meyers/) > [“Universal Spirit may fitly be likened to the universal water, or water circulating through the whole earth. This universal water exists everywhere. It exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/universal-spirit-may-fitly-be-likened-to-the-universal-water-or-water/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [I ran on fixing the roads... I ran on cleaning up drinking water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-whitmer/i-ran-on-fixing-the-roads-i-ran-on-cleaning-up-drinking-water/) [Gretchen Whitmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-whitmer/) > [“Christ is born, my wise Solomon, my wretched pen-pusher! Don´t go picking things over with a needle! Is He born or isn´t He? Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazantsakis-nikos/christ-is-born-my-wise-solomon-my-wretched-pen-pusher-don-t-go/) [Kazantsakis Nikos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazantsakis-nikos/) > [The way we guarantee safe drinking water is broken and needs to be fixed,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-browner/the-way-we-guarantee-safe-drinking-water-is-broken-and-needs-to-be/) [Carol Browner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-browner/) > [The world needs water. For every bottle of wine you drink you contribute to conserving the drinking water reserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-emile-victor/the-world-needs-water-for-every-bottle-of-wine-you-drink-you/) [Paul-Emile Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-emile-victor/) > [I used to be a party animal back in the day, but now I'm way more healthy, eating and drinking a lot - drinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/i-used-to-be-a-party-animal-back-in-the-day-but-now-i-m-way-more/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [A major cause of the Roman Empire's decline, after six centuries of world dominance was its replacement of stone aqueducts by lead pipes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-l-coulter/a-major-cause-of-the-roman-empire-s-decline-after-six-centuries-of/) [Harris L Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-l-coulter/) [Browse all 268 Drinking water quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking-water/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019 there are still no federal regulatory limits.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Bilott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pfoa-in-drinking-water/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drinking water" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pfoa-in-drinking-water/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/robert-bilott-28335_drinking-water_we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pf_1211643.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We notified the EPA 18 years ago that PFOA in drinking water presented a public health threat, and in 2019…” — Robert Bilott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Bilott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bilott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We notified the EPA 18 years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pfoa-in-drinking-water/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bilott/we-notified-the-epa-18-years-ago-that-pfoa-in-drinking-water/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```