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Current groundwater standards

Current public health and public welfare groundwater standards are contained in Ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. Code.


Public health groundwater quality standards

Substance Enforcement Standard (ES)
(micrograms per liter − except as noted)
Preventive Action Limit (PAL)
(micrograms per liter − except as noted)
Acetochlor 7 0.7
"Acetochlor ethane sulfonic acid + oxanilic acid (Acetochlor − ESA + OXA)" 230 46
Acetone 9 mg/1 1.8 mg/l
Alachlor 2 0.2
Alachlor ethane sulfonic acid (Alachlor − ESA) 20 4
Aldicarb 10 2
Aluminum 200 40
Ammonia (as N) 9.7 mg/1 0.97 mg/1
Antimony 6 1.2
Anthracene 3000 600
Arsenic 10 1
Asbestos 7 million fibers per liter (MFL) 0.7 MFL
Atrazine, total chlorinated residues 0.3²
Bacteria, Total Coliform
Barium 2 milligrams/liter (mg/l) 0.4 mg/l
Bentazon 300 60
Benzene 5 0.5
Benzo(b)fluoranthene 0.2 0.02
Benzo(a)pyrene 0.2 0.02
Beryllium 4 0.4
Boron 1000 200
Bromodichloromethane 0.6 0.06
Bromoform 4.4 0.44
Bromomethane 10 1
Butylate 400 80
Cadmium 5 0.5
Carbaryl 40 4
Carbofuran 40 8
Carbon disulfide 1000 200
Carbon tetrachloride 5 0.5
Chloramben 150 30
Chlordane 2 0.2
Chlorodifluoromethane 7 mg/l 0.7 mg/l
Chloroethane 400 80
Chloroform 6 0.6
Chlorpyrifos 2 0.4
Chloromethane 30 3
Chromium (total) 100 10
Chrysene 0.2 0.02
Cobalt 40 8
Copper 1300 130
Cyanazine 1 0.1
Cyanide, free⁴ 200 40
Dacthal 70 14
1,2−Dibromoethane (EDB) 0.05 0.005
Dibromochloromethane 60 6
1,2−Dibromo−3−chloropropane (DBCP) 0.2 0.02
Dibutyl phthalate 1000 100
Dicamba 300 60
1,2−Dichlorobenzene 600 60
1,3−Dichlorobenzene 600 120
1,4−Dichlorobenzene 75 15
Dichlorodifluoromethane 1000 200
1,1−Dichloroethane 850 85
1,2−Dichloroethane 5 0.5
1,1−Dichloroethylene 7 0.7
1,2−Dichloroethylene (cis) 70 7
1,2−Dichloroethylene (trans) 100 20
2,4−Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4−D) 70 7
1,2−Dichloropropane 5 0.5
1,3−Dichloropropene (cis/trans) 0.4 0.04
Di (2−ethylhexyl) phthalate 6 0.6
Dimethenamid/Dimethenamid−P 50 5
Dimethoate 2 0.4
2,4−Dinitrotoluene 0.05 0.005
2,6−Dinitrotoluene 0.05 0.005
Dinitrotoluene, Total Residues⁵ 0.05 0.005
Dinoseb 7 1.4
1,4−Dioxane 3 0.3
Dioxin (2, 3, 7, 8−TCDD) 0.00003 0.000003
Endrin 2 0.4
EPTC 250 50
Ethylbenzene 700 140
Ethyl ether 1000 100
Ethylene glycol 14 mg/l 2.8 mg/l
Fluoranthene 400 80
Fluorene 400 80
Fluoride 4 mg/l 0.8 mg/l
Fluorotrichloromethane 3490 698
Formaldehyde 1000 100
Heptachlor 0.4 0.04
Heptachlor epoxide 0.2 0.02
Hexachlorobenzene 1 0.1
N−Hexane 600 120
Hydrogen sulfide 30 6
Lead 15 1.5
Lindane 0.2 0.02
Manganese 300 60
Mercury 2 0.2
Methanol 5000 1000
Methoxychlor 40 4
Methylene chloride 5 0.5
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) 4 mg/l 0.8 mg/l
Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) 500 50
Methyl tert−butyl ether (MTBE) 60 12
Metolachlor/s−Metolachlor 100 10
Metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid + oxanilic acid (Metolachlor − ESA + OXA) 1.3 mg/l 0.26 mg/l
Metribuzin 70 14
Molybdenum 40 8
Monochlorobenzene 100 20
Naphthalene 100 10
Nickel 100 20
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/l 2 mg/l
Nitrate + Nitrite (as N) 10 mg/l 2 mg/l
Nitrite (as N) 1 mg/1 0.2 mg/l
N−Nitrosodiphenylamine 7 0.7
Pentachlorophenol (PCP) 1 0.1
Perchlorate 1 0.l
Phenol 2 mg/l 0.4 mg/l
Picloram 500 100
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 0.03 0.003
Prometon 100 20
Propazine 10 2
Pyrene 250 50
Pyridine 10 2
Selenium 50 10
Silver 50 10
Simazine 4 0.4
Styrene 100 10
Tertiary Butyl Alcohol (TBA) 12 1.2
1,1,1,2−Tetrachloroethane 70 7
1,1,2,2−Tetrachloroethane 0.2 0.02
Tetrachloroethylene 5 0.5
Tetrahydrofuran 50 10
Thallium 2 0.4
Toluene 800 160
Toxaphene 3 0.3
1,2,4−Trichlorobenzene 70 14
1,1,1−Trichloroethane 200 40
1,1,2−Trichloroethane 5 0.5
Trichloroethylene (TCE) 5 0.5
2,4,5−Trichlorophenoxy−propionic acid (2,4,5−TP) 50 5
1,2,3−Trichloropropane 60 12
Trifluralin 7.5 0.75
Trimethylbenzenes (1,2,4− and 1,3,5− combined) 480 96
Vanadium 30 6
Vinyl chloride 0.2 0.02
Xylene ⁶ 2 mg/l 0.4 mg/l

Public welfare groundwater quality standards

Substance Enforcement Standard (ES)
(milligrams per liter − except as noted)
Preventive Action Limit (PAL)
(milligrams per liter − except as noted)
Chloride 250 125
Color 15 color units 7.5 color units
Foaming agents MBAS (Methylene−Blue Active Substances) 0.5 0.25
Iron 0.3 0.15
Manganese 0.05 0.025
Odor 3 (Threshold Odor No.) 1.5 (Threshold Odor No.)
Sulfate 250 125
Zinc 5 2.5

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