Wisconsin Natural Resources Board Allows Groundwater PFAS Standards To Move Forward

By Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

December 14, 2022

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved a scope statement Wednesday that would allow the state to regulate harmful chemicals known as PFAS under Wisconsin’s groundwater law.

The board voted unanimously to regulate the chemical’s presence in groundwater 10 months after it had failed to reach agreement on the issue. In February the board voted to regulate the chemicals in the state’s drinking and surface water but couldn’t find a consensus on groundwater standards, with some board members raising concerns about the cost to paper mills and other industries.

PFAS, known as forever chemicals, are a family of cancer causing man-made compounds commonly found in household goods such as nonstick pans as well as certain types of firefighting foams.

The scope statement that Wednesday’s vote advanced will regulate four types of PFAS most commonly found in the state’s water — PFOS, PFOA, PFBS and GenX. Groundwater is the source of drinking water for about two-thirds of the state’s residents, largely from private wells. The standards set a level for the state to determine if the groundwater is safe or not, but do not establish a solution for wells that are already contaminated.

Communities across Wisconsin, including Madison, Marinette, La Crosse and Wausau, have found PFAS in their water supplies.

Clean drinking water activists celebrated Wednesday’s vote, saying it will protect people’s health.

“Wisconsinites in Wausau, Marinette and La Crosse and elsewhere have a right to safe water. Today, the NRB chose to put their interests over the interests of industry and PFAS polluters,” Midwest Environmental Advocates staff attorney Rob Lee said in a statement.

The administrative rule establishing standards for groundwater will require approval by the Natural Resources Board, Gov. Tony Evers and the state Legislature. Evers has spent his first term seeking stronger rules to protect the state’s drinking water.

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