Residents urge halt to proposed Well No. 4 at Waterman Way Park, cite safety and contamination risks

Dozens of residents near Waterman Way Park told the Monona Public Works Committee they oppose siting a proposed municipal well (referred to in project documents as Well No. 4) near the park and homes, saying they were not notified and that the location is environmentally and physically unsuitable.

The speakers — who live on Waterman Way, Clear Spring Court and nearby streets — said the neighborhood learned about the project only within the last few days and that a surveyor had been on private property without prior notice. “I was rather surprised by that,” said Andrew Halberg, a nearby homeowner who said a surveyor had been on his property. Several residents described the park as a valued green space used for gatherings, dog-walking and youth activities and said a well there would remove parkland and reduce property values.

The community also raised technical concerns after reviewing the consultant report. A resident with professional hydrogeologic experience said the proposed site has only about 4.5 feet of soil over the water table at sample wells and argued shallow soils increase the vulnerability of a municipal…