Local Residents Learn About Their Drinking Water!

On August 9th nearly 100 residents from the Towns of LaValle and Woodland gathered to receive the results of their rural well water tests and to learn more about the quality of the groundwater in their area. Participants learned that the results were mixed. Only 5% of the 110 wells tested contained nitrate concentrations that exceeded the health standard of 10ppm (parts per million). However 28% tested positive for coliform bacteria which could indicate a breach in the homeowner’s well system. Many homes also participated in a DACT screen, which is an indicator for Atrazine and other related pesticides. None of the wells tested contained more than the health standard of three parts per billion.

The Sauk County UW-Extension and Conservation, Planning and Zoning Department partnered with the towns of LaValle and Woodland to sponsor the drinking water program designed to make drinking water sampling easy and convenient and also to raise awareness of the importance of private well testing. Public water systems are tested regularly, but private well owners are responsible for testing their own wells. The nearly 900,000 rural, private well owners statewide whose water does not receive the same testing or oversight as public water supplies often know little about their drinking water. But a new interactive mapping resource, called the “Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer,” is helping to change that. The new viewer is available at the Sauk County UW-Extension website at http://sauk.uwex.edu.

Private well owners should test their drinking water every 1-2 years and at different times of the year. Sampling bottles for the “Homeowners Test Package” which includes tests for nitrate, coliform bacteria, pH, alkalinity, hardness, conductivity, corrosivity and chloride can be purchased at the Sauk County UW-Extension Office located on the 3rd floor of the West Square Building, downtown Baraboo. Contact (608) 355-3250 for more information.