DARLINGTON - Groundwater is the principal water supply for nearly three-quarters of Wisconsin residents and virtually all rural landowners.
Because people with wells generally rely on groundwater for their drinking water, it's important that potential sources of groundwater contamination are identified and corrected.
Unused wells left open and unattended are direct conduits to groundwater and are a common cause of groundwater contamination in rural areas.
Anything that is dumped down the well or allowed to flow into an unused well travels directly into the groundwater aquifer and bypasses the natural filtering of pollutants that takes place when infiltrates through the soil.
Because it can be costly and time consuming to clean up groundwater after it has become contaminated, the most practical thing to do is to properly fill and seal any unused wells that are present on your property.
Everyone should check their property for unused wells. If you have an unused well on your property, consider having it properly filled and sealed as soon as possible. If you know of any neighbors with unused wells, try convincing them to do the same.
Anytime a new well is drilled on a property to replace an existing well, the old well should be properly filled and sealed. Similarly, anyone thinking about purchasing a piece of property, should inspect the land for unused wells and require that any be properly filled and sealed before the sale.
Special procedures have been developed to ensure that unused wells are filled and sealed in a manner that will prevent future contamination.
For more on how to properly abandon an unused well, visit dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/forms/wellabandonment.pdf to view a copy of "Answers to Your Questions about Well Abandonment" or contact the Lafayette County Land Conservation Department for assistance with properly filling and sealing unused wells.
Because people with wells generally rely on groundwater for their drinking water, it's important that potential sources of groundwater contamination are identified and corrected.
Unused wells left open and unattended are direct conduits to groundwater and are a common cause of groundwater contamination in rural areas.
Anything that is dumped down the well or allowed to flow into an unused well travels directly into the groundwater aquifer and bypasses the natural filtering of pollutants that takes place when infiltrates through the soil.
Because it can be costly and time consuming to clean up groundwater after it has become contaminated, the most practical thing to do is to properly fill and seal any unused wells that are present on your property.
Everyone should check their property for unused wells. If you have an unused well on your property, consider having it properly filled and sealed as soon as possible. If you know of any neighbors with unused wells, try convincing them to do the same.
Anytime a new well is drilled on a property to replace an existing well, the old well should be properly filled and sealed. Similarly, anyone thinking about purchasing a piece of property, should inspect the land for unused wells and require that any be properly filled and sealed before the sale.
Special procedures have been developed to ensure that unused wells are filled and sealed in a manner that will prevent future contamination.
For more on how to properly abandon an unused well, visit dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/forms/wellabandonment.pdf to view a copy of "Answers to Your Questions about Well Abandonment" or contact the Lafayette County Land Conservation Department for assistance with properly filling and sealing unused wells.
