Sludge Is Used As Fertilizer Across Wisconsin. How Much Is Tainted By PFAS?

"Sludge and septage are spread across around half a million acres statewide, but most of it has never been tested for PFAS"

"On a Saturday in June, Nancy Sattler bats away flies while standing in the shade of the Moen Lake boat landing near the town of Stella. With the sun’s sweltering heat, it’s exactly the kind of humid day that leads people to escape to the water.

Sattler, who is former president of the Moen Lake Chain Association, said she and her neighbors were worried when they first learned of high PFAS levels in the lakes.

“There were neighbors of mine who were very reluctant to even go in the water or allow their grandchildren in the water,” Sattler said."

Danielle Kaeding reports for Wisconsin Public Radio October 30, 2025.