Gov. Evers, DNR Highlight Funding Available To Help Communities Address PFAS Contamination In Wastewater
MADISON — Gov. Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), recently announced new funding available to help communities address per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in wastewater. The funds are made available to Wisconsin through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The state’s Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP) is a state revolving loan fund that provides financial assistance to municipalities for wastewater and storm water infrastructure projects by providing reduced-interest rate loans, and in some cases, additional subsidy in the form of principal forgiveness to reduce the size of a loan. The CWFP now includes funding dedicated to projects that address emerging contaminants, such as PFAS.
The Clean Water Fund Program Intended Use Plan (IUP) for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024 provides in-depth information about available funding, including sources and uses of funds, project types, eligibility, loan terms, and federal requirements. The IUP identifies at least $2.5 million in available funding for municipalities to complete wastewater or sewer system projects that reduce or eliminate PFAS contamination.
Potential projects could include:
- Sanitary sewer, storm sewer, or wastewater treatment plant building construction requiring groundwater dewatering in areas with PFAS-contaminated groundwater;
- Biosolids sampling and storage, processing, and/or disposal expenses for facilities seeking to investigate or address PFAS in biosolids;
- Public sanitary or storm sewer reconstruction or lining projects to reduce inflow and infiltration of PFAS-contaminated groundwater or stormwater;
- Landfill leachate treatment to remove PFAS at publicly owned landfills prior to discharge to a sanitary sewer or waters of the state;
- Development and implementation of best management practices to reduce PFAS concentrations in stormwater at publicly owned, PFAS-contaminated sites;
- PFAS removal at publicly owned treatment works (when all practicable source reduction efforts have been exhausted); and
- Groundwater remediation projects on publicly owned sites where a privately owned responsible party does not exist or has not been identified.
Project eligibility, scoring, and funding considerations are listed in detail in the IUP. To be eligible to apply for funding in SFY 2024, applicants must first submit a variance request by Aug. 15, 2023, as the Intent to Apply (ITA) deadline for this fiscal year has already passed.
Applicants seeking funding available in SFY 2025 do not need to submit a variance request but should submit an ITA by Oct. 31, 2023, with a full application, including an approved facility plan and final plans and specifications, due Sept. 30, 2024.
More information regarding variance request, ITA, and application due dates will be provided in an upcoming webinar at 1 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2023. The webinar can be accessed through the DNR’s Project Lists and Intended Use Plans website under the heading “SFY 2024 CWFP”.
Visit the DNR website to learn more about funding opportunities available to communities through the Environmental Loans program.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the PFAS Problem
- Wisconsin Lawmakers, DNR Clash Over PFAS Protections in GOP Bills - Danielle Kaeding - Oct 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Moves to Bring PFAS Limits In Line with Contested Federal Standards - Danielle Kaeding - Oct 3rd, 2025
- DNR Names Companies Responsible for PFAS Contamination In Northern Wisconsin Community - Danielle Kaeding - Sep 30th, 2025
- Green Bay Area Ducks Contaminated with ‘Forever Chemicals’ - Isiah Holmes - Sep 8th, 2025
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisory for Ducks Harvested on Green Bay - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- DNR and DHS Issue New PFAS-based Consumption Advisories for Fish and Deer Near town of Stella and Surrounding Waterbodies in Oneida County - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 4th, 2025
- Groundwater Coordinating Council Releases 2025 Report to the Legislature - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Sep 2nd, 2025
- Environmental Groups, Community Advocates Push for PFAS Deal - Henry Redman - Jul 14th, 2025
- Environmental Advocates Hail Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision in Evers v Marklein - Midwest Environmental Advocates - Jul 8th, 2025
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs State Regulators of PFAS Pollution - Danielle Kaeding and Rich Kremer - Jun 24th, 2025
Read more about PFAS Problem here
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