Groundwater Coordinating Council Releases 2024 Report To The Legislature

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council today shared key recommendations for protecting and preserving vital groundwater resources in its 2024 annual report to the Wisconsin State Legislature. Recommendations focused on public health and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remain a priority, while one focused on finding solutions for water-stressed areas joins the list this year.

The key recommendations in the report address some of the most prevalent and pressing issues in Wisconsin, including:

• Setting new and revised health-based groundwater standards to protect public health and the environment from PFAS, nitrate and other contaminants. DNR halted rulemaking to establish groundwater standards for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in December 2023 after determining that state law requires legislative action to adopt the standards as proposed. There are currently 46 unaddressed NR140 groundwater standards. The Groundwater Coordinating Council recommends allowing the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Health Services to finish rule-making that protects groundwater. Without these standards, agencies remain unable to fully protect the public health of Wisconsin residents.
• Implementing agricultural practices that protect groundwater from nitrate, pesticides and other agricultural contaminants. Areas of the state with a higher intensity of agriculture generally have higher nitrate levels in wells and a higher frequency of pesticide detections. Women and children are especially at risk when exposed to these contaminants. While also acknowledging the crucial need for Wisconsin agriculture, the Groundwater Coordinating Council recommends continuous program implementation, funding, data assessment tools and education to reduce the risk of high nitrate, pesticides and other contaminants in groundwater.
• Addressing public health and environmental concerns regarding PFAS, nitrate and other groundwater contaminants. Exposure to PFAS can have detrimental health effects, like developmental delays, and cause certain types of cancer. PFAS has been detected in Wisconsin's municipal and private drinking water sources. In April 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency released its Maximum Contaminant Levels in Drinking Water for PFAS, spotlighting the significant impact of PFAS on public health. The Groundwater Coordinating Council recommends implementing PFAS enforcement standards, identifying PFAS sources and supporting statewide PFAS initiatives.
• Finding solutions for water-stressed areas affecting communities, economic activity and water resources. Wisconsin’s water supply is not evenly distributed across the state. Some areas have aquifers with low water availability, while in other parts, groundwater withdrawals and variable climate may result in environmental harm, such as residential wells or streams going dry. The Groundwater Coordinating Council recommends statewide collaboration, identifying water conservation and efficiency measures and developing a regional framework to manage water withdrawals in some areas of the state to address the newest addition to its priority recommendations.

“Wisconsin depends heavily on groundwater. The level of coordination and investment in protecting this resource is appropriate as new challenges and ideas continue to warrant the collaborative approach of the Groundwater Coordinating Council and, most importantly, Wisconsin state legislators,” said Jim Zellmer, Groundwater Coordinating Council chair and DNR Environmental Management Division administrator.

The full report and Groundwater Coordinating Council recommendations can be found on the Groundwater Coordinating Council website.

About The Groundwater Coordinating Council

The Groundwater Coordinating Council is made up of representatives of state agencies with groundwater protection responsibilities.

The Groundwater Coordinating Council is directed by s. 160.50, Wis. Stats., to “serve as a means of increasing the efficiency and facilitating the effective functioning of state agencies in activities related to groundwater management.” The council “advises and assists state agencies in the coordination of non-regulatory programs and the exchange of information related to groundwater, including, but not limited to, agency budgets for groundwater programs, groundwater monitoring, data management, public information and education, laboratory analysis and facilities, research activities and the appropriation and allocation of state funds for research.”