MONROE – For a limited time, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has funding available for eligible Wisconsinites to help improve the quality of their drinking water by replacing, reconstructing, treating or abandoning their private well or water system, up to $16,000. If you are a private well owner in Green County, you are encouraged to get your well water tested to potentially participate in this important program.

Unlike individuals who live in villages or cities in Green County and drink municipal water that is tested by the municipality, private well owners are responsible for testing their own water. Testing your well water allows you to know what contaminants may be in your water; local professionals are available to help you navigate your options to address possible contamination. Well water can become contaminated by several different toxins including bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, and others. These contaminants can lead to lots of different health problems; bacteria can cause infections and gastrointestinal problems, heavy metals can lead to liver, kidney, and intestinal damage, and nitrate can cause "blue baby syndrome" – a condition most common in infants where the blood is not able to carry oxygen to rest of the body like it is supposed to.
The DNR’s American Rescue Plan Act Well Compensation and Well Abandonment Grants program is currently accepting applications from Wisconsinites. This program provides funding for private well owners to replace, treat or abandon their well due to contamination. You may be eligible for this program if you meet the following criteria:
● You own a private well or noncommunity water system
● Your annual family or business income is $100,000 or less
● Your well or water system is contaminated with nitrate, arsenic, fecal bacteria or PFAS
● You have not begun work on your well or water system yet
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources expects that all funding will be awarded by Spring 2024. Once funding is exhausted, the DNR will maintain a waiting list of approved applications and issue additional grant awards if additional funding becomes available.
To learn more about this program, or to complete an application visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/aid/WellCompensation.html or dnr.wisconsin.gov/aid/WellAbandonment.html.
You can also call (608)-577-3583 or email DNRARPAWellGrants@wisconsin.gov to learn more.
To qualify for the grant, two consecutive tests taken at least two weeks apart are needed to confirm the water contamination (bacteria testing may be less than two weeks apart). If you need to test your well water, Green County Public Health has well water test kits available at our department located in the Green County Government Services Building (N3152 WI-81, Monroe, WI 53566). The test kits are free, and you can collect the water sample by yourself in your home. You will need to mail your sample to UW-Stevens Point to be tested at their lab which includes a fee, the cost is dependent on which testing package you choose. For instructions on how to collect your water sample, please check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qnffw2f95k
If you have any questions about the Well Compensation and Well Abandonment Grants program or getting your well water tested, please contact Green County Public Health by calling us at (608) 328-9390 or email at info@greencountywi.org. Please visit our website at gcpublichealth.org or our Facebook page @GreenCountyPH to learn more about other public health programs and services.