Gov. Evers Celebrates More Than $800 Million Investment Wisconsin to Receive for Water Infrastructure
Wisconsin to receive $142 million in 2022 to invest in ensuring safe drinking water
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today celebrated President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill that will expand efforts to deliver safe drinking water to Wisconsinites by infusing approximately $850 million into communities across the state over the next five years. Gov. Evers last month praised the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as a “Win for Wisconsin.”
The federal bill contains an array of expanded programs with substantial, new funding sources for Wisconsin, including $142,703,000 for the 2022 allotment for state revolving loan programs funding water infrastructure projects. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is the largest investment in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in U.S. history, delivering clean water to millions of families across the country, including Wisconsin.
Gov. Evers declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water to promote the importance of ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to safe, clean drinking water. The new federal funding will help address three priority safety concerns with Wisconsinites’ drinking water, including PFAS, lead, and nitrates.
The Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that Wisconsin will receive $347 million in clean water and $522 million in safe drinking water revolving loan funds over the next five years. This funding includes a minimum of $95 million in grants to address emerging contaminants such as PFAS and $255 million to replace lead service lines.
PFAS are human-made chemicals that can be found in a variety of products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays, and certain types of firefighting foam. These forever chemicals can build up, move through the soil, seep into groundwater, or be carried through the air. PFAS are known to pose several health risks such as certain types of cancers, heart issues, and developmental delays.
Nitrates are Wisconsin’s most widespread groundwater contaminant, according to Wisconsin’s Groundwater Coordinating Council. Nitrate contamination of groundwater is increasing in extent and severity across the state. Today, nitrates are at levels of concern in 74 public drinking water systems, and it is estimated that more than 10 percent of private wells have high nitrate levels.
From rural towns to cities, the legislation also authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to award additional grants on a competitive basis for water infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities, including low-income neighborhoods, communities with less than 10,000 people, and communities that would otherwise be unable to finance water projects needed to comply with federal water quality regulations.
The bill also provides $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program started in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes, to accelerate environmental progress in Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, including reducing nutrient pollution and the toxic substances in the St. Louis River, Lower Green Bay and Fox River, Sheboygan River and Harbor, and Milwaukee Estuary areas. Funding allocations for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative projects in Wisconsin have not been announced.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lead Crisis
- Baldwin Delivers Over $83 Million to Replace Lead Pipes, Expand Access to Safe Drinking Water - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - May 2nd, 2024
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on Milwaukee Designation as Workforce Hub - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Apr 26th, 2024
- Biden Announces Milwaukee As New “Workforce Hub” For Lead Pipe Removal - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 25th, 2024
- Senator Baldwin Delivers Nearly $2 Million to Keep Wausau Families Safe from Lead Contamination - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Apr 12th, 2024
- IRS Rules that Homeowners Won’t Have to Pay Additional Taxes for Subsidized Replacement of Lead Pipes - Milwaukee Water Works - Feb 29th, 2024
- Milwaukee Makes It Far Easier To Replace Your Lead Service Line - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 18th, 2023
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Praises Biden Administration Effort to Remove Lead Pipes in 10 Years - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Nov 30th, 2023
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Partnership with 10 Wisconsin Communities to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacement as Part of Investing in America Agenda - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Nov 2nd, 2023
- Evers, DNR Announce $402 Million Funding to Improve Local Drinking Water - Henry Redman - Oct 24th, 2023
- How EPA’s Proposed Lead Dust Rules Would Impact Wisconsin - Farrah Anderson - Aug 30th, 2023
Read more about Lead Crisis here
More about the PFAS Problem
- Legislators Agree on Opioid Plan, Still Withhold PFAS, Hospital Funds - Erik Gunn - May 8th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Again Calls Republican Lawmakers into Special Meeting to Urge Immediate Release of $140 Million to Fight PFAS Statewide, Respond to Hospital Closures in Western Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - May 6th, 2024
- The State of Politics: Voters Worried About PFAS in Water - Steven Walters - Apr 22nd, 2024
- EPA Slaps Two PFAS Chemicals With Superfund Law Designation - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 19th, 2024
- DNR Responds To EPA’s Designation Of PFOA And PFOS As Hazardous Substances - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 19th, 2024
- Evers Won’t Rule Out Court Challenge to Force Release of PFAS Funds - Danielle Kaeding - Apr 16th, 2024
- Gov. Evers Vetoes PFAS Bill, Calls Special Meeting of Budget Committee - Baylor Spears - Apr 10th, 2024
- DNR, DHS Respond To EPA’s Announcement Of Maximum Contaminant Levels For PFAS In Drinking Water - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Apr 10th, 2024
- GOP Leaders Urge Gov. Evers to Sign Divisive PFAS Bill - Baylor Spears - Apr 2nd, 2024
- UW-Madison to Open PFAS Center - Robert D'Andrea - Apr 1st, 2024
Read more about PFAS Problem here
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