MADISON, WI (WSAU) — Wisconsin’s 70 parts per trillion standards for PFAS in drinking water is now in place.
All municipal drinking water in the state must now contain fewer than 70 PPT of PFAS. Those areas that don’t will be required to take steps to reduce the contamination.
PFAS are a series of chemicals found in some everyday products. Health experts warn that a buildup of the chemicals can lead to health issues such as certain cancers, high cholesterol, and some reproductive issues in women.
The most common way PFAS enters the body is through drinking water.
The regulation is part of three new standards for the man-made chemicals, often called forever chemicals, that took effect on Monday. The other two involve PFAS in groundwater and the use of some firefighting foams which contain PFAS and have been known to contaminate the water supply.
It is unclear how long the new standard will last. The US EPA recently announced they are considering much stricter standards which would require PFAS levels to be at nearly non-detectable levels by today’s testing standards. Additionally, state health officials have recommended a standard of 20 PPT, though that was rejected by the state’s Natural Resources Board earlier this year.
