Taxpayers could be on the hook to pay billions of dollars if Wisconsin decides to clean up PFAS across the state.
Two PFAS bills would exempt some individuals and some parties from paying to clean up contaminated areas they did not cause under the state’s spills law, Wisconsin Public Radio reports.
Some of those exemptions include fire departments, public airports or municipalities that used firefighting foam containing the chemicals.
To reduce PFAS in water systems, the DNR said $12.6 million annually would be needed. It could also cost about $400 million to fix the state’s private wells. It would cost approximately $125 million to replace wells suspected of contamination, which the DNR thinks is around 5,000.
The DNR has reported that nearly 95% of Wisconsin’s 2,000 public water systems contain PFAS, though it is below the EPA’s standards, but could still affect health in fish, wildlife and humans.
The DNR did not have estimates for costs for wastewater sampling, site investigation and cleanup.
