While most of Sheboygan County gets their water from a municipal system, many depend upon private wells for their supply. Statewide, that amounts to about one-quarter of the population with water drawn from over 800,000 private wells. And while municipal systems are regularly monitored for contaminants, it’s up to the private well owners to get theirs tested.
Nearly 100 Town of Holland private well owners did just that recently, and Extension Groundwater Specialist Kevin Masarik said that the news was generally good, but not all. Coliform bacteria was present in 8% of the 96 samples tested – that compares with a statewide average of 15%. Still, Masarik said, that if an organism like coliform bacteria can access a well, it shows that there’s a pathway for other harmful pathogens to get in. Those pathogens included Arsenic found in 79 wells, 10% of them exceeding the amount allowed, and that’s why it’s important to test the well every 15 months.
Improvement is needed there; some 66% in the Town of Holland either hadn’t tested their wells in at least 10 years, or couldn’t remember the last time it was tested. And about 6% admitted having never had their water tested.
The Environmental Protection Agency offers resources to those who want to have their wells tested. You can access that information at epa.gov/waterlabnetwork
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