WC Wisconsin News

Wisconsin lawmakers have passed bipartisan legislation to address the state's growing problem of polluted drinking water.

The PFAS Action Act is a bipartisan bill passed to address high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Wisconsin’s water supply and seeks to help clean the water supply and prevent future contamination. Wisconsin State Rep. Ron Kind voted in support of the bill and took to Twitter to laud the bill's passing.

"PFAS contamination is an issue that hits close to home for too many Wisconsinites," Kind wrote in a July 21 Twitter post. "I'm glad that today the House passed the bipartisan PFAS Action Act to address this public health threat and help ensure safe drinking water for all."

The act places more regulations on safe levels in drinking water, emissions levels for certain pollutants and chemicals, and increased waste disposal regulations. 

PFAS chemicals are highly toxic chemicals that have been linked to a number of health problems including cancer, birth defects and weakened immune systems. The chemicals have been found in the drinking water of over 50 Wisconsin cities, with the highest concentrations found in Marinette and Peshtigo.

WEAU News reported that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is providing resources, such as offering free water testing, to local residents in areas more prone to tainted water supplies.