Proposed NR 140 Groundwater Standards for Pesticides
DATCP’s Role with Groundwater Protection
State law (Wis. Stat. § 160) outlines the groundwater monitoring responsibilities of state agencies. The statute requires that regulatory agencies communicate with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Department of Health Services (DHS) to identify when substances are detected in groundwater that exceed an existing enforcement standard or preventative action limit, or when compounds are detected that do not have existing state or federal standards. To meet these responsibilities, DATCP collects groundwater samples from private drinking wells, monitoring wells, and irrigation wells located within agricultural areas. DATCP analyzes these samples for more than 100 pesticide compounds plus nitrate through its lab. DATCP also provided the DNR with lists of pesticides to consider for what are referred to as the tenth and eleventh cycles of new standards development for groundwater law (Cycles 10 and 11). Fact sheets for recently evaluated pesticides are shown below. (Note: On February 23, 2022, the DNR's Natural Resources Board considered and did not approve the Cycle 10 list. The scope statement for Cycle 10 expired on March 3, 2022. Any future rulemaking will take place under a new scope statement.)
For questions about proposed standards for pesticides included on the NR 140, email datcpgw@wisconsin.gov.