Wisconsin Conservation Voters celebrates new federal drinking water standards for PFAS

MADISON – Today, the EPA announced the United States’ first enforceable drinking water standards for PFAS. These new standards are more protective than Wisconsin’s current PFAS drinking water standards, and include a wider set of PFAS chemicals.

PFAS are a class of highly toxic, human made chemicals tied to a host of serious health impacts, including complications with pregnancy, childhood obesity, learning and behavioral issues, thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, and testicular cancer.

Government Affairs Manager Peter Burress made this statement:

“Today’s announcement is an exciting victory for public health. These new public health-based standards confirm what we already knew to be true: PFAS are dangerous at extremely low levels. We are grateful to President Biden, Administrator Regan, and all of the hard-working staff at the EPA for their leadership on clean water. These standards will help get PFAS out of Wisconsin drinking water, and ensure Wisconsin communities are protected from a host of serious health impacts associated with PFAS contamination.

Today’s announcement also underscores the need for Wisconsin-based action. Members of Wisconsin’s Joint Finance Committee must support Gov. Evers’ compromise proposal and release the $125 million for PFAS that was allocated into the PFAS Trust Fund more than nine months ago. Additionally, Wisconsin must finalize a groundwater standard for PFAS. Because one-third of Wisconsinites rely on private wells for their drinking water and the federal government does not set standards for groundwater, we urge legislators to support SB 1022 and ensure PFAS groundwater standards move forward.”

Peter Burress, Government Affairs Manager, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, 920-421-3601 (mobile/text), or peter@conservationvoters.org