KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – A study funded by the state DNR shows that one-third of private water wells in Kewaunee County do not meet proper human health standards.
About 320 of the county’s water wells were tested last month, as part of a project by federal researchers and UW-Oshkosh to determine the levels of groundwater contamination.
Kewaunee County has a lot more cows than people, due to its 15 large dairy farms which started up in recent years.
However, USDA microbiologist Mark Borchardt says it’s way too early to blame the county’s 98,000 cattle for the early contamination findings.
DNR work groups are looking at ways to reduce groundwater pollution, and manure spreading is banned from January through mid-April on land with 20 feet or less of soil content.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
