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Wisconsin Approves $133 Million to Combat “Forever Chemicals” in Groundwater
After years of political deadlock, Wisconsin’s Legislature has approved a $133 million plan to address widespread PFAS contamination in the state’s water supplies. Governor Tony Evers announced he would sign the bipartisan legislation, bringing hope to numerous communities struggling with dangerous levels of these persistent chemicals in their drinking water.
“Beautiful. This has been a long time coming,” said Lee Donahue, Town Supervisor for Campbell, where more than 500 wells were found to be contaminated in 2021. Residents in the town of 4,300 have relied on bottled water since then. The new state funding will help Campbell transition from private wells to a municipal water system treated for PFAS.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are human-made chemicals that persist in the environment for decades without breaking down. Found in everyday products like cookware and stain-resistant clothing, they were also commonly used in firefighting foam at airports and military installations. These chemicals have been linked to serious health problems including cancer, liver disease, and compromised immune response.
The contamination problem extends far beyond Wisconsin. Government estimates suggest up to half of U.S. households have some level of PFAS in their water supply. While federal regulations now limit PFAS levels in public water systems, the roughly 40 million Americans who rely on private wells remain particularly vulnerable.
Across Wisconsin, communities including Marinette, Madison, Peshtigo, Wausau, Stella, and Campbell are grappling with contaminated groundwater. In Stella, a town of 670 people, private wells were contaminated by PFAS-laden fertilizer spread on farm fields.
Tom LaDue, a Stella resident who serves on a town committee tracking PFAS developments, expressed relief at the legislation’s passage. “We’ve been waiting for it for a long time,” he said. “We’ll be letting everyone in the town know this has passed and we’ll finally see, hopefully, some forward movement in our small town.” LaDue hopes the funding will allow Stella to at least test private wells for contamination.
The political breakthrough comes after a prolonged standoff between Democratic Governor Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Though the 2023-25 state budget had created a $125 million trust fund to combat PFAS contamination, disagreements over implementation prevented the money from being spent. During the stalemate, the fund grew to $133.4 million, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
Two years ago, Evers vetoed a Republican bill on PFAS funding, arguing it limited state regulators’ authority to hold polluters accountable. Environmental groups had urged him to reject the proposal.
The compromise reached this year consists of two bills. The first allocates $132.2 million from the PFAS trust fund for community grants, well replacements, and remediation at airports and industrial properties. An additional $1.3 million from the state’s general fund will cover 10 new positions at the Department of Natural Resources to administer the program.
The second bill establishes a list of entities exempt from contamination liability, addressing concerns that led to the previous veto. Those protected include people who spread PFAS while complying with permits that didn’t address the chemicals, landowners whose property was contaminated under a permit, owners of contaminated industrial property who didn’t cause the pollution, and fire departments that used PFAS-containing foam. However, businesses currently using PFAS or that have spread industrial waste could still be held liable.
Both measures received overwhelming bipartisan support. The Assembly passed the legislation unanimously in February, while the Senate approved one bill 33-0 and the other by voice vote with minimal discussion.
“I’m incredibly proud we were able to work across the aisle to get this done — and get it done right,” Evers said in a statement following the Senate vote.
The legislation represents a rare moment of cooperation in Wisconsin’s often divided government and offers a glimmer of hope for residents who have waited years for assistance with contaminated water supplies.
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8 Comments
While the funding amount is substantial, the real challenge will be ensuring it is allocated effectively and efficiently to the communities most impacted. Rigorous oversight and transparent monitoring will be key to the program’s success.
Good point. Careful implementation and accountability measures will be crucial to maximizing the impact of this investment.
I’m curious to learn more about the specific technologies and approaches that will be used to treat the PFAS-contaminated water. Ensuring the long-term sustainability and scalability of the solutions will be critical.
That’s a great question. The details on the treatment methods and infrastructure upgrades will be important to understand the full impact of this investment.
This is an important step, but the broader PFAS issue extends far beyond Wisconsin. A coordinated, national strategy is needed to address the widespread contamination of groundwater and public water supplies across the country.
While the funding is welcomed, the underlying issue of PFAS pollution and its health impacts remains concerning. I hope this is just the first of many steps to comprehensively address this environmental and public health crisis.
This is a welcome step to address the growing PFAS contamination crisis in Wisconsin. Providing $133 million to transition affected communities to safe water supplies is crucial for public health. Proper regulation and cleanup of these forever chemicals is long overdue.
Absolutely. PFAS pose serious long-term risks, so investing in proactive solutions is the responsible path forward.