WISCONSIN — Wisconsin will get nearly $139 million in federal funding to help boost drinking water infrastructure upgrades across the state, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week.

Improvements will go toward protecting communities from the “forever chemical,” known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and replacing lead pipes.

The EPA said the funding is a part of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was signed in 2021.

“No matter where you live, every person deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said Rep. Mark Pocan. “Thanks to the Infrastructure law President Biden signed, we’ll soon be able to provide clean water to even more people. I’m grateful for this vital investment in our nation’s water infrastructure.”

Improvements will be made in the state through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Rep. Gwen Moore said it’s clear that the DWSRF has been “under-funded” for too many years and that she was thrilled to hear about the new investment.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin also applauded the funding.

“Every Wisconsinite needs to know that when they turn on their faucet, clean and safe water is coming out, and because of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I voted for, we are one step closer to that becoming a reality,” said Baldwin.

“Today’s announcement is a huge step forward to helping ensure Wisconsin families have safe drinking water and that we are supporting Wisconsin workers and companies when we do it,” she added.

Nationwide, the Biden administration is investing $6 billion to address clean drinking water and improvements, with $3 million going toward lead service lines, $800 million to address PFAS and $2.2 billion going toward other drinking water improvements.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has already been taking steps to combat PFAS in the state. During his State of the State address in January, he pitched spending $100 million to deal with pollution from the substance.

Evers also proposed a three-pronged approach, which included increasing testing, sampling and monitoring, boosting awareness about the dangers, and making more resources available when contamination occurs.

In an Exclusive Spectrum News/Siena College Poll conducted in Sept. 2022, one-third of Wisconsin voters found PFAS to be somewhat serious or a very serious issue in the state.

EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said the funding from the Biden administration will bring “long overdue resources to [the] nation’s drinking water infrastructure.”

Money was allotted to states based on the results of the EPA’s 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment, which assesses water infrastructure every four years.

“Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure investments, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution.”