MONROE — A new report from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows that nitrate has been detected in many privately owned Green County wells. Of the private wells tested in Green County, 17% have nitrate levels above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standard. 

Nitrate can be harmful to anyone. Infants that drink water with high nitrate levels are at risk of blue baby syndrome, a condition that limits the blood’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. Nitrate can lead to birth defects and may increase people’s risks for certain kinds of cancer. 

 “We recognize nitrate levels in private well water is an issue in our county, and we are encouraging private well owners to get their well water tested,” said RoAnn Warden, Green County Public Health Officer. “The Green County Environmental Health Profile helps us monitor a wide variety of factors that impact health; anyone interested in learning more about the health of our community should read through it.” 

The only way to know if nitrates are present in well water is to test for it. In 2022, Green County Public Health provided 43 well water test kits for residents to use. Well water test kits are free; community members only pay for the price of lab testing at UW-Stevens Point. The department created a video to demonstrate how to collect a water sample which can be found on their YouTube channel. 

Learn more about well water on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website. To stay up-to-date on all things related to Green County Public Health,  “like” them on Facebook or visit their website: https://www.greencountywi.org/192/Public-Health.