The Wisconsin DNR got the go ahead from the Natural Resources Board for the next steps in setting new PFAS standards for public drinking water.
PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals that have been linked to adverse health effects.
Currently, the DNR health advisory levels is 70 parts per trillion of combined PFOA and PFOS- two of the most studied PFAS chemicals.
Earlier this year, the Environmental Protect Agency set a new standard for PFAS in public drinking water.
Action will need to be taken if water tests at 4 parts per trillion or more.
“Based on the sample results, we think there are about 90 systems at this point that would be required to meet the federal standards,” DNR Public Water Supply Section Manager Adam DeWeese told the NRB at its meeting last week.
DeWeese says those systems are a mix of things like small businesses, churches, and small community systems.
Board Member Robin Schmidt gave credit to DNR staff for already having standards and moving to upgrade them to match new federal standards.
She also pointed out that this does not set a standard for the roughly 800,000 private wells in the state.
“Anybody on an individual well really does not have any established groundwater standard for protection,” said Schmidt. “I think we need to keep trying to do what we can to make sure that that the state understands that difference and the importance of moving forward at giving us authority to make those rules.”
The NRB authorized the DNR to hold a preliminary public hearing and comment period for the changes.
PFAS has impacted several local communities including the City of Rhinelander, the town of Stella, and one of the schools in the Merrill Area Public School District.
