The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Board on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve groundwater standards for six PFAS substances, according to a report by Wisconsin Public Radio.
PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, don’t easily break down in the environment, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
They have been linked to fertility issues, thyroid disease, various cancers and other serious health conditions.
Under the new standards, individual limits for two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, will be set at 4 parts per trillion.
The DNR set standards at 10 parts per trillion for three other chemicals — PFNA, PFHxS and GenX.
For PFBS, the agency set the limits at 2,000 parts per trillion.
The presence of PFAS substances is considered both a public health and environmental challenge because most Wisconsin residents still rely on groundwater for their drinking water.
In 2022, the DNR reported that 71% of private wells it sampled had at least one PFAS chemical.
The new standards received swift approval from Gov. Tony Evers.
