Follow-Up: Wisconsin Gov. Evers Approves State's First-Ever Groundwater PFAS Standards, Limit Set at 4 Parts Per Trillion
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin — Gov. Tony Evers announced on October 29 that he has approved Wisconsin's first-ever enforceable PFAS standards for groundwater, setting the threshold for certain PFAS contaminants in groundwater at 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt). According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 95 percent of the state's communities and about 70 percent of Wisconsin residents rely on groundwater for their drinking water supply.
The approval follows the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board's unanimous vote on October 28 to adopt the groundwater PFAS standards, after which the rule went to the governor and the Legislature for review. The governor's approval moves the state's first groundwater PFAS standards a step closer to taking effect. Wisconsin Natural Resources Board Approves Groundwater PFAS Standards on Oct. 28: Limit of 4 Parts Per Trillion for PFOA and PFOS
"Groundwater is the primary source for Wisconsinites' drinking water across our state, which is why having enforceable groundwater standards for PFAS is so critically important. Ensuring Wisconsinites have access to clean water has been a top priority for me and my administration from the get-go, and today is a historic step in our efforts," Gov. Evers said, adding that every Wisconsinite deserves to know the water coming from their tap is safe.
According to the governor's office, the Evers Administration had previously proposed PFAS groundwater standards three separate times, each of which was rejected by the Natural Resources Board or halted by legislative barriers, with the most recent blocked effort ending in February 2025. The administration restarted the current rulemaking process that same month.
Last week, Gov. Evers announced two new grant programs, the PFAS Community Grants Sampling Program and the Wisconsin PFAS Private Well Testing Program, to help communities sample private wells and public water supplies for PFAS contamination. Both are funded by the $125 million PFAS Trust Fund approved in the 2023-25 Biennial Budget; the funding was released earlier this year under 2025 Wisconsin Acts 200 and 201, and additional grant programs will be announced in the coming months.
In March, Gov. Evers approved changes bringing the state's drinking water standards in line with federal health-based PFAS limits, reducing the threshold from 70 ppt to 4.0 ppt. The governor and the Natural Resources Board also previously approved amendments to the state's lead and copper rule to align with federal standards. Under the new rules, water systems must take corrective action if the standards are exceeded.
The governor's office also noted that the state budget committee recently released $10 million from the PFAS Trust Fund to provide safe, clean drinking water to families and communities affected by contamination from Tyco Fire Products LP's Fire Technology Center, using a payment Tyco made under a June 2026 settlement with the state over PFAS contamination in the Marinette area.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in products including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain firefighting foams. They resist degradation in the environment and can accumulate in the bodies of humans and wildlife, where they may cause adverse health impacts.
Source: GSM · USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：威斯康星州州长托尼·埃弗斯在州旗旁发表讲话（资料图，HarvestLife 摄，Wikimedia Commons，授权：CC BY-SA 4.0）。Image: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaking beside the state flag (file photo by HarvestLife via Wikimedia Commons, license: CC BY-SA 4.0).
- 2026-10-28Wisconsin Natural Resources Board Approves Groundwater PFAS Standards on Oct. 28: Limit of 4 Parts Per Trillion for PFOA and PFOS
- 2026-10-29Follow-Up: Wisconsin Gov. Evers Approves State's First-Ever Groundwater PFAS Standards, Limit Set at 4 Parts Per TrillionThis story
