Many residents of Lafayette County and rural residents across Wisconsin rely on private wells for their drinking water and to operate farms and businesses — 50% of the state’s population. Part of our Wisconsin identity is abundant, clean, and delicious water — we make terrific beer with it! But in recent years, mounting evidence has surfaced that shows we have a water contamination problem. This is particularly true in areas that sit on fractured limestone — like NE and SW Wisconsin — where contaminants can quickly move down from the surface, or sideways through bedrock, into the aquifers from which we draw well water. 

In 2018, Lafayette, Iowa and Grant Counties collaborated with UW Extension, USDA and the United States Geological Survey to begin a comprehensive investigation of private wells called the SWIGG (Southwestern Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology) Study. Now the investigation has concluded, and a report will be delivered by UW Extension on May 16, 6 p.m., at the Grant County Fairgrounds 4-H Building. The report will offer findings about the extent and sources of contamination, and recommendations for remediation. The public is encouraged to attend.

Initial results of the SWIGG Study’s first random well test across the three counties were dramatic, concerning, and controversial, showing that 42% of tested wells were contaminated with either bacteria or nitrates in levels too high to be consumed safely. Subsequently, Governor Tony Evers declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water and directed the Department of Natural Resources and other agencies to begin further investigations. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos also started the Speaker’s Task Force on Clean Drinking Water, a year-long series of public hearings across the state. Though very little has been done to address the issue from a legislative perspective, public understanding of water quality problems and solutions has increased exponentially. 

Due to preliminary SWIGG reports and other emerging research, many farmers and agriculture groups have already adopted or advocated for practices — like cover crops and split fertilizer applications — that slow and reduce the leaching of nitrogen and bacteria into groundwater. UW Extension’s Lafayette County Ag Agent Josh Kamps is providing both research and education on best practices for water quality protection. The county Land Conservation Department, NRCS and several producer-led watershed groups are providing cost-share for adopting water-protection practices. The Lafayette County Health Department now has Bacteria and Nitrate labs on site to help homeowners stay informed about the condition of their wells. 

Though we are already seeing improvements in water protection efforts, I am anxious to hear the researchers’ conclusions and recommendations, including those relating to septic placement and well construction. This study has been a top priority of mine since 2016, and many of you have showed up to meetings both in the county and across the state to advocate for this research. Some of you have even contributed financially to Lafayette County’s share of the cost. I’m grateful for your partnership in this important initiative. 

One thing we can already recommend is that township property owners should regularly test their wells, at least annually. If your well is impacted by a flood event, have it tested afterward. When in doubt about the taste or smell, test your well. Get started by calling the Lafayette County Health Department at 608-776-4895 or email publichealth@

lafayettecountywi.org. Of course, you are always welcome to reach out to me with questions, too: 608-636-4652 or kriss.marion@

lafayettecountywi.org. 

Quite a few reports, articles, and analyses of the SWIGG study have already been published, and you can find resources here online: wgnhs.wisc.edu/southwest-

wisconsin-groundwater-and-

geology-study-swigg. 

— Kriss Marion is a Lafayette County Board Supervisor for District 8. The opinions expressed here are her own and do not represent the position of the county board.