Protect Your Groundwater Day

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show
This week marks Protect Your Groundwater Day. Larry Meiller gets an update on Wisconsin’s groundwater from both environmental and health perspectives.

Featured in this Show

  • Wisconsin Residents Can Help Keep Our Water Supply Healthy

    Wisconsin’s groundwater is vitally important for health, recreation, wildlife, commerce, and more. Approximately 70 percent of our state’s residents rely on our groundwater for their primary water source. The remaining 30 percent draw from surface water sources like Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Winnebago.

    Chuck Warzecha is Bureau Director for the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Health in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. He says that Wisconsin relies on our groundwater more than many other states do. Over all, he says, we’ve done a good job of protecting and managing that resource. But because we do rely so heavily on it, that means that we need to be especially vigilant as well.

    Jeff Helmuth is the Source Water Protection Program Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and agrees with Warzecha’s assessment. He says that some of the major threats to our groundwater are bacteria and nitrates. Those are found statewide in both the water from which municipal water systems feed and the water drawn into wells.

    Other health concerns related to our water include arsenic and other heavy metals. They are usually found in a small percentage of wells and water systems, but even so, they are cause for concern. Arsenic came to light as a concern about 10 to 15 years ago, Helmuth explains. “Although there are some incidences of human-caused arsenic contamination in water, most of what we see in Wisconsin is from the rock itself. And it’s been a rather difficult problem to address because of that.”

    An emerging concern is prescription medications making their way into the water supply. Wazecha explains that pharmaceuticals are formulated with the expectation that the prescribed dosage will not completely be absorbed by the body. That means that the remaining amount will enter the water supply through human waste.

    While most water systems and septic systems are not made to filter out this type of contamination, there are steps that all of us can take to help decrease the amount entering the water. Warzecha says that often expired medicine or medications that are no longer needed are often flushed down the toilet for disposal. To prevent adding those materials to the water, he encourages people to take advantage of the many ways that are provided for safe disposal of prescription medications.

    Depending on the type of medication and the location in the state, there are a variety of take-back programs available. Here is a link to a list of drop-off and collection events compiled by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and there is also information available from the DNR, as well as the UW Extension’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center.

    Besides keeping prescription drugs out of the water supply, there are other things that we can do to help keep our water safe and clean. Warzecha emphasizes that no one tests a well other than the landowner, so it is very important to do that testing. And if the test returns concerning data, it’s important to share that with your neighbors so that they are aware of any risks. The DNR provides very useful information on how to test your well, and it is available in English, Spanish and Hmong.

    Helmuth adds that helping to keep hazardous materials out of our ground water is key. Materials that we should ensure are used, stored and disposed of properly include paint, solvents, used motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, fertilizers, and also a variety of electronics that can leach dangerous chemicals. Always consult manufacturers’ use instructions and contact your local waste authority for disposal options. “We have to be careful about how we use and dispose of those materials,” Helmuth concludes.

Episode Credits

  • Larry Meiller Host
  • Judith Siers-Poisson Producer
  • Jeff Helmuth Guest
  • Chuck Warzecha Guest