Water Issues

Drinking Water Issues

Other Water Issues

All external hyperlinks are provided for your information and for the benefit of the general public.  The Department of Health Services does not testify to, sponsor, or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally linked pages.

• Arsenic in Drinking Water  Includes links to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other agencies: 

Arsenic in Well Water: Understanding your test results DHS fact sheet (PDF, 68 KB)

Arsenic – EPA fact sheet on proposed new drinking water standards. 

Arsenic: Well above, trouble below (article from Natural Resources Magazine)

DNR arsenic in drinking water brochure (PDF, 702 KB)

DNR Map of arsenic occurrence in Wisconsin

USGS link on arsenic - maps and links to various national and international agencies 

Questions about arsenic in drinking water? 

• Common Contaminants  Provides links to DNR: 

Bacteria – Bacteria are common well contaminants. 

Lead – A toxic metal, used in many home plumbing systems. (PDF file, 752 KB) 

Manganese - Common element found in minerals, rocks, and soil that is naturally found in groundwater but can be harmful at high levels. (PDF file, 67KB)

Nitrate – A common contaminant in drinking water, nitrate is used largely in agricultural and residential fertilizers. 

Pesticides – Pesticides used on corn, soybeans, other crops can affect water supplies. Pesticide Reports published by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection.

Sodium - a naturally occurring element commonly found at low levels in drinking water supplies. (PDF, 23 KB)

Radium and Radon are two radioactive metals that occur naturally in Wisconsin groundwater. 

Volatile Organic Compounds – VOCs can enter wells from leaking underground storage tanks, landfills, other sources.

• Public Water Systems

What’s In My Water? – DNR database on public water sample results, violations. 

Consumer Confidence Reports – Annual report on public water systems, including test results and violations. (PDF, 38 KB)

• Private Drinking Water Wells

Well testing recommendations – DNR Private drinking water well testing recommendations. 

Well water testing labs – Labs that test private well water for Bacteria and other Contaminants 

Groundwater data: Including public, private, and monitoring wells – DNR searchable Database. 

• Surface Water

Polluted surface water DNR lists surface water bodies with various sources of direct and indirect pollution. 

• Miscellaneous Information About Drinking Water

What's Wrong With My Water? 
DNR's website to: 

• help you choose the right lab tests to give you a definitive diagnosis; 

• tell you whether your water problem is more likely to be a health concern or a nuisance problem; 

• help you find a laboratory certified to do that test; 
• help you choose a possible fix; and 
• direct you toward the licensed professionals who can help you. 

Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council Wisconsin’s groundwater as a natural resource.

DNR groundwater information  DNR topics on groundwater and various drinking water issues. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Drinking water fact sheets on their safe drinking water web page. 

Toxic Chemical Fact Sheets Fact sheets on chemical contaminants, some of which are found in drinking water. 

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Last revised: February 02, 2010