Groundwater_Content Page_Recommendations

Recommendations

GCC Report to the Legislature

The Groundwater Coordinating Council (GCC) identifies its recommendations for future groundwater protection and management. These recommendations include both top-priority actions requiring immediate attention and additional priorities for continued progress. To learn more about each of these recommendations and for actions to take to address them, go to the Recommendations Section of the report.

Primary recommendations

FindingsPrimary RecommendationsWho Is Responsible For Progress?
PFAS continues to be found in Wisconsin groundwater in both public and private wells, posing risks to public health and the environment.
  • Set new NR140 groundwater standards for PFAS.
  • Continue to identify PFAS sources and their potential impacts to groundwater and other environmental media.
  • Support continued monitoring and research.
  • The DNR, Natural Resources Board (NRB) and the Governor.
  • The DNR, DHS, researchers, laboratories, local governments, public water systems and private well owners.
  • The DNR, DHS, researchers, laboratories, local governments, public water systems and private well owners.
Nitrate is the most common contaminant in Wisconsin groundwater. In several wells across the state, nitrate levels are worsening.
  • Expand groundwater monitoring efforts.
  • Expand the eligibility criteria of the state’s well compensation program to include wells with nitrate levels above 10 mg/L and non-community wells (as proposed by Governor Evers).
  • Implement agricultural practices that protect groundwater from nitrate contamination.
  • State agencies (primarily the DNR, DHS and DATCP), local governments, well owners, universities, researchers and laboratories.
  • The DNR, the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor.
  • The DNR, DATCP, researchers, agricultural organizations, producers, local governments, the Wisconsin Legislature, the Governor and federal partners.
At least one pesticide substance is estimated to be present in over 40% of private potable wells in Wisconsin. Groundwater standards are not set for most of the pesticides, including neonicotinoids detected in Wisconsin.
  • Set new and updated NR 140 groundwater standards for pesticides.
  • Implement agricultural practices and integrated pest management that reduce pesticide presence in Wisconsin groundwater.
  • The DNR, DHS, DATCP, NRB and Governor.
  • DATCP, researchers, agricultural organizations, crop advisers, pesticide applicators, producers, conservation organizations and local governments.
Wisconsin has abundant water, but supplies are unevenly distributed. In some areas, limited aquifers and high use lead to dry wells, reduced streamflow and restrictions on new water withdrawals.
  • Identify, evaluate, promote and implement sustainable and long-term water supply options in water stressed areas.
  • Develop a regional framework to manage water withdrawals.
  • The DNR, local governments, regional planning organizations, water utilities, businesses and agricultural producers.
  • The DNR, local governments, regional planning organizations, water utilities, businesses and agricultural producers.

Additional Recommendations

FindingsPrimary RecommendationsWho Is Responsible For Progress?
Pathogen indicators like E. coli have been detected in municipal and private wells. Pathogen indicators are often linked to manure mismanagement and failing septic systems. This may indicate potential serious health risks and highlights the need for better prevention and waste management awareness.
  • Continue monitoring pathogens in groundwater.
  • Expand public outreach and education on practice, including proper septic system maintenance, waste disposal and manure management.
  • Improve well construction and maintenance to reduce contamination exposure.
The DNR, DHS, DATCP, DSPS, local health departments, counties, municipalities, researchers, agricultural producers, well owners, licensed well professionals and septic system professionals.
Emerging contaminants, such as microplastics, VOCs, metals and natural substances, like arsenic, manganese and radium, are often found in wells, sometimes above health standards.
  • Continue monitoring and provide financial resources for mitigation.
  • Establish new and revised health-based groundwater quality standards for contaminants.
All state agencies, the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor, laboratories, researchers and well owners and water suppliers.
Spring inventories, groundwater-level monitoring and stream monitoring are key tools used to track water resources, understand groundwater-surface water connections and manage withdrawals to protect Wisconsin’s water supply.
  • Maintain inventories of groundwater location, quantity and use.
  • Support monitoring and modeling of groundwater withdrawal impacts.
  • Explore solutions for areas with limited groundwater.
  • Research how land-use changes affect groundwater use and recharge
The DNR, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, researchers, local governments and regional planning organizations.
Effective groundwater management requires public, up-to-date data to support informed policy and business decisions.
  • Continue collecting and sharing groundwater data in accessible formations through a unified platform.
  • Expand and promote the Groundwater Retrieval Network as Wisconsin’s main groundwater data system.
  • Provide sustained financial support for data visualization tools and public-facing applications.
All state agencies, the UW System, certified laboratories, local governments and water utilities, the Wisconsin Legislature and the Governor.
Climate change is driving more frequent and severe floods and droughts, impacting groundwater quality and quantity.
  • Study future climate variability in Wisconsin and its effects on groundwater.
  • Support research on climate-groundwater interactions to improve flood drought and management responses.
All state agencies, researchers, local governments and water utilities and federal and regional partners.
Wisconsin leads in groundwater research thanks to the GCC's Joint Solicitation process. However, state funding has dropped since the 1990s, now falling short of growing research demands.
  • Increase state funding allocated to the DNR and the University of Wisconsin System for groundwater research.
The DNR, the University of Wisconsin System, the Governor and the Wisconsin Legislature.