MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is creating a new grant program to help small public water systems reduce PFAS and manganese contamination levels.

What You Need To Know

  • The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is creating a new grant program to help small public water systems reduce PFAS and manganese contamination levels

  • The DNR announced Monday that it will begin accepting applications for grants on Jan. 16

  • The grants will help water systems that serve non-residential groups of at least 25 people for more than six months annually, such as schools and day care centers, and non-government water systems that serve at least 25 people year-round, such as mobile home parks and apartment buildings

The DNR announced Monday that it will begin accepting applications for grants on Jan. 16 to help water systems that serve non-residential groups of at least 25 people for more than six months annually, such as schools and day care centers, and non-government water systems that serve at least 25 people year-round, such as mobile home parks and apartment buildings.

The grants will be funded through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

PFAS is an acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of man-made chemicals that have been used for decades in a wide range of products, including firefighting foam and non-stick cookware. Studies have linked PFAS contamination to a host of ailments in humans, including liver and kidney disease and cancer.

Manganese is a naturally occurring metal that can cause significant health impacts if consumed in high concentrations, including lung, liver and kidney damage as well as a neurological condition known as manganism.

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