Water Use
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Water Supply Service Area Planning
By 2026, all water utilities that serve a population of 10,000 or more people will be required to develop a Water Supply Service Area Plan (see s. 281.348, Wis. Stats.). Communities that may need to develop this plan prior to 2026 include:
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Water use administrative rules REDIRECTS
The department has several administrative rules to implement the Great Lakes Compact and associated statewide water use regulations.
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Reporting water use
Registered withdrawers are required to measure or estimate the volume of water they withdraw every month and report that information annually to the DNR. Withdrawals may be reported by the property owner or by an authorized lessee, agent or operator…
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Water use registration
Subscribe to receive email updates about the Great Lakes Compact or Water Use Program. To withdraw or a withdrawal means the taking of water from surface water or groundwater including springs, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams and the Great Lakes.…
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Water use permitting
If your withdrawal is located in the Great Lakes Basin (Lake Superior or Lake Michigan) and you withdraw water or plan to withdraw water at an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in any 30-day period from the sources on your property, then…
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Water use fees
DNR collects water use fees to help sustainability manage water quantity and water quality in the state. Revenue from water use fees is used to:
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Water use fee calculator for withdrawers in the Great Lakes basin
Volume of water pumped annually in millions of gallons per year (MGY): Estimated Water Use Fee, includes $125 base fee and Great Lakes Basin specific fee: Examples:
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Water use data and maps
Use the tools below to search for high capacity wells and surface water withdrawal sources. You can also see the amount of water withdrawn by month and year.