WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set new Interim Health Advisory Levels for Perfluorooctanoic Acid(PFOA) at 0.004 parts of trillion and 0.02 parts per trillion for Perfluorooctane Sulfonate(PFOS).
Health Advisory Levels are the first step in the EPA developing a regulation. There are currently no federal regulations for PFAS.
Wausau Water Works issued a response to the ruling, saying the EPA isn’t recommending bottled water or providing alternative water sources at this time.
Wausau Water Works has assembled and been working with consultants to find out how well various treatment options can reduce PFAS levels in Wausau’s drinking water.
The levels in Wausau are well below the EPA’s Health Advisory Levels that were set.
The city’s water works has been working with engineers and scientists since February to develop a pilot study to find the best option for managing PFAS in the drinking water. Additional filtration using an ionization process will likely be part of the city’s new drinking water treatment plant, scheduled to open in August.
Wausau’s Public Works Department shared their next steps going forward:
- Develop an interim recommended solution for PFAS reduction in drinking water once the new treatment facility goes online in the summer of 2022.
- Continue the pilot testing study to determine and recommend the best long-term solution for reducing PFAS levels in drinking water and continue to meet future drinking water standards
- Develop practical and feasible strategies to reduce levels of PFAS as EPA and WDNR develop and finalize drinking water standards.
The city says they will watch for new guidance and information as it’s available.
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