Natural contaminates found in NW WI private, unregulated wells

More discouraging findings about water quality in Wisconsin, this time 

in a study of private wells in 11 Northwestern counties: 

“It’s important to focus on northwest Wisconsin because there has not been a lot of focus here,” said Kelsey Prihoda, researcher and Great Waters Research Collaborative program manager for the Lake Superior Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.... there is virtually no data on 48,000 unregulated private wells in 11 northwest Wisconsin counties....

“On average, the preliminary results show that Iron County had the highest maximum fluoride and iron levels...and manganese levels were also at or above preventive action limits,” Prihoda said.... Lead [throughout northwest Wisconsin] was at or above preventive action limits, she said.

Approximately 64% of private wells are not using water treatment of any kind, she said. Any home with a well, especially homes with pregnant women, small children, elderly or people with immunocompromised conditions, should be testing water quality annually, she said.