WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — State Representative Katrina Shankland and Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg are calling on lawmakers in Madison to release $125 million in funding from this year’s state budget designated for PFAS remediation.
The Democrat says the funding is hung up while lawmakers grapple over the DNR’s ability to set standards for PFAS contamination in groundwater, which is a large source of drinking water for many on both public utilities and personal well systems. She says that the battle is leading to higher water rates as communities borrow money to help fight the chemicals. That includes in Wausau where water rates went up by 65% last year to help pay for a new granular activated carbon filtration system to remove the chemicals. “We could have helped with some of those dollars but we didn’t because that money has been sitting in a pot in Madison for six months. I think right now is the time to get this done, and I really want to encourage bipartisan action.”
A Republican proposal would release the funds to the DNR but would also restrict the agency’s authority to hold those deemed responsible for PFAS contamination accountable. Shankland chalks that up to playing politics with clean drinking water. “The stakes are too high to make this partisan. I really want to encourage everyone in the Senate and Assembly to sit down together and work on this. I am the ranking member on the Assembly Environment Committee and I am very committed to working with all parties and folks who want to get this done.
“That money is sitting in a pot and could be released for fiscal years 2024 and ’25. We need to get that money out the door ASAP,” added Shankland.
That jump came after another significant hike to pay for a new drinking water treatment plant, meaning water rates in the city have more than doubled in less than five years.
Rosenberg says she expects the utility to take another look at its finances next summer after they have a full year’s worth of financial data from the current rate level. They’re also examining other financial metrics to see if other strategies can be implemented to help bring rates down.
