Governor Tony Evers has announced he is directing the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to take additional efforts to address polyfluoroalkyl pollution in drinking water and groundwater. In announcing the order Tuesday the governor said he is “committed to protecting the state’s natural resources and ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to clean drinking water.” PFAS are man-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, and firefighting foam. As part of the announcement, Gov. Evers directed the DNR to pursue rulemaking using science-based recommendations from the Department of Health Services (DHS). Tuesday’s announcement is the first step in the process for DNR amending administrative codes to create enforceable standards to designed to protect public health:
- NR 105 surface water quality standards to reduce PFAS contamination in the state’s surface waters by establishing discharge limitations for certain PFAS substances.
- NR 140 to set groundwater quality standards to reduce PFAS contamination in the state’s primary source of drinking water, the state’s groundwater.
- NR 809 safe drinking water standards for public water supplies to reduce certain PFAS substances in drinking water.
Gov. Evers also directed DHS to work closely with DNR by continuing to develop the standards to address PFAS contamination. Evers says members of the public and interested parties will have opportunities to provide input throughout this process.
