Drinking Water: Manure in Private Wells
Manure can pose a serious health risk if it gets into drinking water
Manure contains germs that can make people sick. Common symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cramps and fever. The elderly, young children, and people with a weak immune system are at the most risk for getting sick.
Talk to your doctor if you or a family member have symptoms that you believe are related to your drinking water.
Private wells can become contaminated if they are near areas where manure is spread, stacked, or stored
Some wells are at greater risk for manure contamination:
- Wells that are near farm fields, barn yards, or feed lots.
- Wells that are in areas with sandy soils, fractured bedrock, or karst features.
- Wells that are shallow or damaged.
A licensed well professional can help you determine if your well's location or construction puts it at risk for manure contamination.
Take action right away to protect yourself and your family if your water smells like manure or is brown or yellow.
Use safe water for for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth, washing hands, and bathing. Safe water includes bottled water and water from a private well or municipal system that is not impacted by the contamination.
Inform the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of the situation. Contact the private well specialist for your region or the DNR violation hotline.
DNR will investigate if manure is the cause of the water quality issues. They may ask you to collect a sample of your water for bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) or collect samples themselves.
- If manure is the source of the contamination, DNR may provide you with temporary drinking water and work with you to find a long-term solution to the contamination.
- If manure is not the source of the contamination, you should still take steps to address the situation and protect yourself and your family from bacteria.
You should also follow these tips to keep yourself and your family safe
Throw out any ice or drinks made with the contaminated water.
Sanitize your dishes before using them. You can use your dishwasher's sanitize cycle or wash them by hand using a sanitizing solution, P00631d (PDF).
Provide your pets with safe water, too.
Test your well regularly for other common contaminants.
Resources for addressing manure in private wells
- Information from the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey on Wisconsin's groundwater, including links to information on fractured bedrock and karst features
- List of licensed well professionals
- DNR's private well specialists by region
- DNR's violation hotline – available 24/7
- Information on DNR's temporary drinking water policy
- Steps to take if you have bacteria in your private well, P-02132 (PDF)
- Directions on how to make a sanitizing solution, P-00631d (PDF)
- Information from the DNR on other contaminants to regularly test for in your private well.
- Information from the DNR on manure in drinking water
- Information on how DNR manages manure and other nonpoint source pollution
- Information from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) on nutrient management plans
- Wisconsin's Manure Management Advisory System
Questions? Can't find what you're looking for?
Contact us by emailing mailto:dhsenvhealth@wi.gov.