Waunakee residents press board over local groundwater concerns as board selects Stantec for EPA-funded brownfield cleanup

Several Waunakee residents urged the village board for clearer answers about a suspected contamination near a shut well and called for faster testing and remediation while the board moved forward with an EPA-funded cleanup of a nearby brownfield site.

At the start of the meeting, resident Anne Held, identified on the public-comment sign-in by staff, described learning of contamination reports in local news coverage and said the well had been closed. "We drink all this water," she said, describing alarm at reports that the village's water "has PC in it" and asking what the village and property owner planned to do. Her son, listed on the sign-in as Dennis Health, raised questions about how far contamination might have spread off-site and whether the property owner would test and remediate affected yards.

Staff responded that the village has pursued tests, closed the well out of an abundance of caution and is coordinating with state agencies. Community development staff told the board the village received the EPA brownfield cleanup grant in May 2025 and formally received EPA approval in October. "The grant period is four years," staff said when asked about timing, adding that additional testing proposed by the selected consultant could lengthen work but that cleanup work would likely occur in year two of the grant period.

The board approved a staff recommendation to select Stantec as the qualified environmental professional to lead the project. Staff said the proposal recommended a consultant budget of $339,480 for project coordination and oversight; that amount would be covered entirely by the EPA grant. Staff also explained that Stantec would manage subcontractors who would perform the physical cleanup work.

Board members and residents pressed staff on the use of prior testing and early community engagement. One trustee asked whether Stantec would review testing already done by the site owner; staff said consultants would evaluate existing data as part of their work and would prepare a public participation plan that would come before the board. Residents asked for earlier outreach; staff said at least one public meeting would occur early in the project and three public outreach sessions are planned overall.

The village leader closed the public discussion by reassuring concerned homeowners: "The water that you're drinking is clean and it is safe." Staff and trustees committed to follow-up calls to individual residents and additional public updates as the cleanup moves forward.

The board voted to approve Stantec as the consultant to coordinate the brownfield cleanup; staff said the village expects a multi-year process and that site closure will require testing after cleanup work is complete.