How Safe is Your Drinking Water?

According to the University of Wisconsin Center for Watershed Science and Education, WI Well Water Quality Viewer (uwsp.edu) at https://gissrv3.uwsp.edu/webapps/gwc/pri_wells/, 24% of private wells tested in Green County show bacterial contamination. Of those, 10% have tested positive for E. coli. Also, 18% of Green County’s tested wells show nitrate levels above the safe limit of 10 parts million and 46% exhibit some level of contamination by the pesticide Atrazine.
The Wisconsin DNR recommends that well owners have their water tested at least once a year. Over the next few months, the Green County Towns of Adams, New Glarus, Washington, and York will be partnering with the Green County Extension Office to offer a complete drinking water testing program. By the time residents see this notice, they should have received a postcard from the Extension Office, detailing the prices for the tests that are being offered. Town of New Glarus residents will also receive a flier that includes this information and the times, dates and locations for bottle pick-up and sample delivery.
Please note that to encourage folks to fully protect themselves and their families, the Town of New Glarus will enter New Glarus well owners who order the full battery of water tests into a drawing to win one of three $100 cash prizes or one of four $25 cash prizes. Also, after receiving their test results, residents can attend a free virtual educational program (to be held on June 29, 2021), where they can speak with a UW-Extension Groundwater specialist about those results.
To participate in our drinking water testing program, please contact Victoria Solomon, Community Resource Development Educator, at (608) 328-9440 or victoria.solomon@wisc.edu by April 23, 2021. For more info, check out https://green.extension.wisc.edu/green-county-annual-drinking-water-testing or call the Town of Adams, (608) 293-1305; the Town of New Glarus, (608) 527-2390; the Town of Washington, (608) 558-0422 or the Town of York, (608) 523-4810.
<i>Harry Pulliam,
Town of New Glarus Parks Commission</i>