Per- and Polyfluoroalkalyl Substances (PFAS) are not directly generated at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) but enter through influent from industrial, commercial and domestic sources. Standard sludge treatment methods, such as digestion, lime treatment, thermal drying and composting, do not remove PFAS. As a result, municipal biosolids often co...
Biosolids are a byproduct of domestic sewage treatment at wastewater treatment plants. After chemical treatment and testing, this nutrient-rich organic material is commonly repurposed for land application. In Wisconsin, more than 85% of biosolids are reused as inexpensive fertilizer replacement, conditioner or soil amendment. However, per- and poly...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever nationwide, legally enforceable drinking water standard for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This rule represents the most significant step under EPA's PFAS strategic roadmap, addressing PFAS pollution and protecting the public from potential PFAS hazards. The EPA a...
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new drinking water standards to limit the concentration of a family of forever chemicals known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS. PFAS chemicals were widely used for years in various industrial and consumer products and have been linked to health issues. The new limits are a sig...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently proposed revisions to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) to limit lead exposure. The proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) simplifies the 2022 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and include provisions for efficient implementations by water systems to...
A municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) is a dedicated land area or excavated site that receives nonhazardous solid waste from households and industries. An MSWLF may also receive nonhazardous sludge and conditionally exempt small quantity generator waste. These landfills safely isolate waste from the environment with clay and geotextile liners to...
PFAS, or Per- and Polyfluroalkyl Substances, contamination of groundwater and drinking water exposes us to chemicals that eventually bioaccumulate in our tissues. Preliminary studies indicate the potential health effects of PFAS include altered immune and thyroid function, liver and kidney diseases, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes a...
Various Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS chemicals) are commonly used in industrial, commercial and consumer products. These manufactured substances are also called forever chemicals because of their resistance to heat, water and oil, which hinders their natural degradation. When PFAS chemicals leach into water through landfills, industria...
Are you familiar with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI)? What are the implications for lead and copper rule revisions?How do the revisions help protect your community from lead exposure in drinking water? Since its 1991 publication, the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) has undergone several revisions,...
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2021 Annual Drinking Report, more than 98% of the state's public water systems comply with all health-based standards. The Wisconsin DNR implements the state's drinking water program, which includes municipal community water systems, other-than-municipal community water systems, nontr...
Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved state drinking water standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perflourooctane sulfonate (PFOS) — the two most common chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The state NRB standards precede federal PFAS standards the U.S. Environmental Protection Ag...
