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Private-well testing shows some nitrate and bacterial concerns in Vernon County, UW‑Stevens Point reports
Summary
A UW–Stevens Point presentation to the Vernon County Board summarized private well testing from 163 participants: about 5% of local wells met or exceeded the nitrate health standard, ~13% had coliform and ~1% E. coli; presenters urged annual bacteria testing and ongoing county participation in the study.
Cayla Cavey of the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point presented findings from the Driftless Area Water Study at the Vernon County Board meeting on June 25. The study aggregated private-well testing across Vernon County: 163 participants provided samples analyzed for 22 common water-quality measures.
Cavey reported that about 5% of samples in Vernon County met or exceeded the state health standard for nitrate; by comparison she noted a statewide exceedance rate of roughly 7–10%. She also said roughly 82% of samples were characterized as “hard water,” about 13% of wells had elevated iron that can cause brown or reddish staining on fixtures, and about 13% of well tests were positive for coliform bacteria while 1% were positive for E. coli. Cavey emphasized that private wells are not regulated like public systems and recommended annual bacteria testing for private‑well owners.
During audience comment Forest Yonkie, who worked on the Driftless Area Water Study, thanked the county for participation and asked that Vernon County continue to support the program. The presentation materials will be emailed to board members, according to the minutes.
The presentation provides localized data that county health and environmental staff can use to target outreach and testing recommendations for private‑well owners. The minutes do not provide a detailed countywide extrapolation or a list of specific addresses; they record participant counts and test percentages only.
