Public Health
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Pandemic influenza - a guide for water plant owners and operators
What is pandemic influenza? A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person…
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Drinking water security and emergency preparedness
If you are currently experiencing an emergency:During normal office hours, contact your DNR Rep. If you don’t know your rep, you can look them up on the DWS portal.After hours/on the weekend/holiday – contact 608-576-5358 to talk to the officer on…
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Public notification rule
Public notification is an important part of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made significant changes to the Public Notification Rule, which were added to Wisconsin Administrative Code, Ch. NR 809,…
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Manure and drinking water
Livestock manure may infiltrate drinking water wells from field application, spills and weather events. Manure may contain fecal bacteria, viruses and nitrates that can cause acute illness, especially in sensitive populations such as infants, women…
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Drinking water and lead
Lead is a common metal. Although originally used in many consumer products, lead is now known to be harmful to human health if ingested or inhaled. It can be found in lead-based paint, air, soil, household dust, food, some types of pottery and…
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Municipal water system disinfection
The vast majority of Wisconsin’s municipal water systems currently disinfect the water they deliver to consumers, killing viruses and bacteria that can unexpectedly occur. Learn if your municipal water system disinfects its water Here's how you…
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Contaminants
This information can help you learn more about contaminants in drinking water, make decisions about water testing, assess your personal health situation and understand options for water supply or treatment if needed.
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Risk & Resilience Assessments and Emergency Response Plans (AWIA Section 2013)
Section 2013 of AWIA requires community water systems that serve a population of 3,300 or more to conduct a risk and resilience assessment and develop an emergency response plan that must be updated and certified every five years.These requirements…
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Source water protection
Source water protection helps prevent contaminants from entering sources of drinking water. It's the first line of defense to reduce the chance that contaminants will be in a glass of water from your tap. Source water protection avoids potential…
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What’s wrong with my water?
You wonder if something's wrong with the water coming from your private well. It smells, tastes or looks different; or it stains your laundry or bathroom fixtures. Confirm the cause of your water complaints before attempting to fix them. Get the…