Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland County resident says private well 'never passed' testing; health staff offer testing referrals
Summary
At the April 2 meeting, a resident reported a private well that repeatedly failed tests and said replacement costs rose to about $17,000; Wisconsin DHS and county staff offered testing resources and encouraged direct follow-up with environmental health programs.
A Richland County resident told the county Community and Health Services standing committee on April 2 that a local private well "has never passed" state testing and that estimates to address the issue rose from about $12,000 to roughly $17,000.
The resident, speaking during the presentation Q&A, said the family has not used the well for drinking because it failed tests. "It has never passed," the resident said, describing ongoing local frustration and cost barriers.
Joe Larsen, southern region director for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, responded that state laws and program structures are designed to ensure water safety and that the DHS environmental health program can provide testing resources and guidance on hazards discovered during testing. "There are resources available for testing to make sure that there's nothing in there that could make people sick," Larsen said.
Brandy Anderson, Richland County's local health officer and public-health manager, and county staff offered to connect the resident with regional environmental-health contacts and follow up on any necessary referrals. County staff also noted earlier regional testing efforts supported by grant funding and encouraged the resident to contact county public-health staff directly for follow-up.
Why it matters: Private-well contamination and the cost of remediation are persistent public-health and equity concerns for rural residents; local officials do not control drilling prices but can connect households with testing, technical assistance and potential funding sources to diagnose hazards and pursue remediation where required.
Clarifying details: The resident reported drilling/replacement cost estimates increased from about $12,000 to $17,000 (not independently verified in the meeting). Larsen suggested state environmental-health programs can advise on hazards found in testing; Brandy Anderson offered county-level follow-up. The transcript records no formal funding commitment from the county.
Next steps: County staff said they would follow up with the resident and provide contact information for environmental-health testing resources.
