Wisconsin now has enforceable standards for PFAS in groundwater.
Governor Tony Evers announced that he had approved the standard of 4.0 parts per trillion for certain PFAS contaminants.
The action comes after the Natural Resources Board had given its approval to the proposal earlier this week.
Jeff LaMont of Save Our Water spoke in favor of the standards during the Natural Resources Board meeting.
“These proposed standards are informed by the best science available to protect public health and the environment and are consistent with those put forth and approved by other states,” said LaMont.
Erik Kanter of the environmental advocacy group Clean Wisconsin talked about the importance of the standards.
“Rural families, schools, daycares, and businesses across Wisconsin that rely on private wells were left out of state PFAS protections their fellow Wisconsinites have enjoyed for nearly 5 years,” said Kantor. “We cannot have public health standards for some but not all. Establishing these groundwater standards closes that gap and ensures rural families are eligible for resources to access safe water.”
Governor Evers says groundwater is the primary source for drinking water across the state.
He says having enforceable groundwater standards for PFAS is critically important
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 95 percent of Wisconsin’s communities and about 70 percent of Wisconsin residents rely on groundwater for their drinking water supply.
PFAS are forever chemicals, which as the name suggests, are hard to remove. They’ve been linked to health effects like lower immune response, lower infant birth rates, and increased risk of some cancers.
The chemicals were commonly used in such things as fast food wrappers, non-stick cookware and firefighting foam.
