MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today issued the new “PFAS Monitoring for Sewage Sludge (Biosolids) Generators” general permit (WI-0012345-0) to meet the requirements of s. 283.82(4), Wis. Stats. This general permit will require that facilities spreading biosolids monitor and report PFAS concentrations. A general permit is a pre-issued authorization that allows a category of similar activities to proceed without requiring individual permits.
2025 ACT 201, enacted on April 6, 2026, created s. 283.82(4), Wis. Stats., directing the DNR to issue Wisconsin Pollution Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits requiring perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) monitoring for sewage sludge. To ensure all sewage sludge generators have PFAS monitoring requirements in a WPDES permit, the Act requires general permit (GP) coverage be issued to all permittees that do not currently have limits or conditions on PFAS substances in their permit. This supplemental general permit applies to all sewage sludge generators with valid WPDES individual permits that do not have limitations or conditions to address PFAS.
Additionally, the Bureau of Water Quality has updated its Interim Strategy For Land Application Of Biosolids And Industrial Sludges Containing PFAS to protect public health and the environment.
The DNR limits land application of municipal biosolids and industrial sludges that are significantly impacted by PFAS compounds through use of this interim strategy. The DNR’s overall goal is for facilities to identify and reduce PFAS concentrations in biosolids and industrial sludges. PFAS source identification and reduction strategies are vital to reducing PFAS concentrations in biosolids and industrial sludges.
To support the source reduction efforts at wastewater treatment facilities, the DNR is developing a new grant program that will support sampling for PFAS compounds. These programs are expected to launch in the summer or fall of 2026. In addition to sampling at these facilities, this first area of focus for the grant programs will also include grants for sampling of private wells, schools and childcare facilities.
PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foam. They do not break down in the environment and have been discovered at concentrations of concern in groundwater, surface water and drinking water. These chemicals are known to accumulate in the human body, posing several risks to human health including certain cancers, liver damage and decreased fertility.
More information can be found the DNR’s Water Quality PFAS Initiatives webpage.
