Evers, DNR propose new set of PFAS drinking water standards

A PFAS advisory sign along Starkweather Creek. (Henry Redman | Wisconsin Examiner)

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) introduced a proposed new set of standards for the allowable amount of PFAS in the state’s drinking water on Monday. The action brings Wisconsin’s standards in line with the federal government’s.

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are a family of man-made chemical compounds that have been commonly used in the manufacturing of household goods such as non-stick pans and industrial products such as firefighting foam. The chemicals do not break down easily in the environment and have been linked to health defects including certain kinds of cancer. Communities across the state have found high levels of PFAS in their water supplies.

Managing PFAS contamination has become a major political issue in the state. Unlike most states, Wisconsin is unique in that it creates separate standards for drinking, surface and groundwater. In 2022, standards for PFAS in drinking and surface water were approved by the state’s Natural Resources Board (NRB) but not for groundwater — which is the source of drinking water for the large portion of the state that uses private water wells.

This past legislative session, hopes for a political compromise fell apart after Republicans, Democrats, environmental organizations and business groups could not reach a deal on a bill that would spend $125 million to help clean up PFAS contamination.

Additionally, the state’s largest business lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, has been fighting a lawsuit for years to prevent the DNR from using Wisconsin’s toxic spills law to force companies responsible for PFAS contamination to pay for the cleanup.

Under the new drinking water standards, the maximum amount of contaminant allowed in water will be lowered for two types of common PFAS and new standards created for four others. According to the scope statement, about 5% of Wisconsin’s drinking water systems have levels of PFAS that do not meet the new standards.

Now that the scope statement has been released, the standards move to the NRB. If approved by the NRB the standards will then be sent to the Legislature’s Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules for another approval.

“Every Wisconsinite deserves access to clean, safe water that is free of lead, PFAS, and other harmful contaminants that are affecting our kids, families, and communities across our state,” Evers said in a statement. “With each day of delay in setting basic standards and getting meaningful investments out the door to protect our natural resources and get contaminants out of our water, the more costly these efforts will become. I urge the NRB to take up this change to bring us in line with federal regulation of these harmful chemicals as soon as possible as we continue working to ensure that every Wisconsinite has access to clean, safe drinking water straight from the tap, whether that water is coming from a municipal water system or a private well.”

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