WEAU 13: Wisconsin alliance calls for immediate statewide PFAS testing

Wisconsin alliance calls for immediate statewide PFAS testing

By Alex Loroff

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - A new alliance is calling for immediate PFAS testing of drinking water systems statewide.

#PFASFree Wisconsin is an advocacy campaign made up of environmental, public health, and community leaders.

The group is urging local officials to immediately begin testing public water supplies for PFAS even though the state doesn’t require testing.

More than 35 communities throughout Wisconsin have discovered PFAS contamination in soil and groundwater, including the town of Campbell on French Island.

Town Supervisor Lee Donahue says testing is the only way to know the extent of contaminations.

“As more than 300 families here (Town of Campbell) have been identified with contaminated water due to PFAS, there are more than 3,000 families who live with the fear every single day of not knowing what is in their private residential well,” Donahue said.

State Rep. Katrina Shankland spoke in support of the alliance during a press conference Tuesday, saying the state’s elected officials need to do more to address the PFAS issues many communities are facing.

“Too many of my colleagues in the State Legislature believe we ought to take a ‘wait and see’ approach, but we can no longer afford to take that approach,” Shankland said. “As public officials, we have a responsibility to be proactive and protect the health of our constituents.”

Organizers of #PFASFree Wisconsin believe local municipalities should test for PFAS regardless of the availability of state funding.