Wisconsin will use more than $600,000 in funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help local communities that want to sample municipal water supplies for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to a statement from the office of Gov. Tony Evers. The sampling is voluntary and if a community finds its drinking water supply is impacted by PFAS, the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Health Services will assist community leaders to leverage all resources available to protect the health of the residents and address the contamination.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products, including nonstick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays, and certain types of firefighting foam. PFAS do not break down in the environment and have been discovered at concentrations of concern in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water across Wisconsin.
