Comment Period For Proposed PFAS NR 140 Groundwater Standards
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) developed a draft rule package to revise ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. Code and is accepting public comments through July 29, 2026. The proposed rule will add health-based groundwater quality standards for six PFAS, using the Department of Health Services (DHS)'s January 2025 recommendations.
The six PFAS include the following compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals). Setting groundwater quality standards will allow for consistent use in state regulatory programs to minimize the concentration of these polluting substances in the groundwater resources of the state.
The objective of the proposed rule is to protect public health, given that groundwater is the primary source of drinking water throughout the state. PFAS break down very slowly and can accumulate in people. PFAS may cause reproductive health effects such as decreased fertility and pregnancy-induced hypertension; developmental effects or delays in children including birth defects and low birth weight; increased risk of some cancers including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers; decreased antibody response to vaccines and increased cholesterol.
A draft of the proposed rule language is available for download under DG-02-25 on the DNR’s Proposed Permanent Administrative Rules webpage.
The DNR is accepting comments on the draft revisions to ch. NR 140 from June 29, 2026, to July 29, 2026. Comments may be submitted electronically to DNR140GroundwaterQualityStandards@wisconsin.gov or mailed to:
Department of Natural Resources
Attn: Carla Romano
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
A virtual public hearing will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026. To join via Zoom, please register or pre-register using the Zoom link below. If you plan to attend via phone instead of Zoom, please download and complete the fillable Hearing Appearance form and send it to Carla.Romano1@wisconsin.gov.
Join online via Zoom
Meeting ID: 845 8832 2038
Call-in number: 301-715-8592
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