Groundwater Resources/Well Water

The rolling hills and lakes of Washington County were created thousands of years ago when two glaciers collided forming the Kettle Moraine Area, depositing sand, gravel, and clay over ancient bedrock. These deposits range in thickness from five feet to well over 600 feet! These deposits created a new groundwater aquifer (sand and gravel aquifer) that now supplies drinking water to thousands of people in Washington County.

While many residents of Washington County get their drinking water from municipal wells, over 10,000 homes have private wells. Many of these private wells are only tested for contaminants once when required to when the well is first constructed. After that it is up to the individual homeowner to test their own well.

Physicians for Social Responsibility-
Drinking Water Fact Sheets

Arsenic (pdf)
Cancer (pdf)
Cryptosporidium (pdf)
Disinfection Byproducts (pdf)
E. coli (pdf)
Elderly (pdf)
Lead (pdf)
Maternal and Child Health (pdf)
Nitrate (pdf)
Pesticides (pdf)
Radon (pdf)