Sheboygan County Well Screening Program

The University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Center for Engagement Learning (CEL) has embarked on a county-wide effort to screen township residents' well water and to raise awareness of well water quality in our county’s communities. We are reaching out to more than 16,000 private well owners in Sheboygan County over the next three years, including you and your family.

Screenings conducted by the UW-Sheboygan Chemistry Department will help to educate township residents on their well water quality, specifically on nitrate levels in drinking water. Results will help guide well owners as they work to ensure they have the healthiest water possible for their families, pets and livestock, as well as protect these water sources for the next generation. All results will be securely kept in our database in order to provide you with a reference in the future, help provide data for a long range understanding of changes in our county’s water quality and to further educate our citizens about the importance of healthy well water.

Water sample screenings will include a calibrated lab analysis in our chemistry department for nitrate levels. Nitrate is one of the two contaminants most commonly found to exceed water quality standards in Wisconsin groundwater. If elevated nitrate levels are found they are a good indicator that unhealthy levels of coliform bacteria may also exist. Nitrates are used as fertilizer on crops, lawns and are a common by-product of the decomposition of waste. When nitrates are found to be present in well water, the well in question could be compromised by nearby septic systems, landfills or animal wastes.

All well screening participants will receive individual test results for their sample(s). Well owners whose screenings show high nitrate levels will be provided with more information on accessing more in-depth testing or water quality remediation efforts.

The collection of water samples over the 2011-12 academic year will be conducted based on the schedule below. Please note that only residents in the listed communities should bring samples to these collection sites and during the listed dates. Other Sheboygan County community collection dates will be announced in coming weeks and months or communities may contact us to schedule special sessions. Please watch this page for updated information:

Village of Howards Grove
April 4, 2012, 3-7 p.m.
Howards Grove Village Hall

All residents in the above communities participating in the UW-Sheboygan Well Screening Program are asked to fill out a Nitrate Screening Form upon drop-off of their water sample(s) or print a copy in advance here and bring with you to the collection location:

Nitrate Screening Form

Before dropping off samples for UW-Sheboygan's well screening program, residents are asked to do the following:
1. Locate an empty and clean 16 oz. plastic water bottle and fill it with water from your tap (such as your kitchen faucet). If you feed livestock or pets from another tap source, please fill a second sample bottle with this water and mark accordingly based on the water source.
2. Clearly print your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and date of the sample on a label or a piece of paper and attach securely to the bottle(s).
3. Complete the Nitrate Screening Form that will be provided to you upon drop-off or print online in advance and complete (see link above) and return with your sample(s).
4. Bring your sample(s), screening form and a check for $25 made payable to UW-SHEBOYGAN to the village hall during the collection dates and times.

For more information about UW-Sheboygan's Well Screening Program, please contact the Center for Engagement Learning at (920) 459-6617 or e-mail jane.donlon@uwc.edu.