Well drilling begins in the village of Nelsonville
Metro Wire Staff
Portage Co. says that drilling began this week for the first of seven monitoring wells in the village of Nelsonville.
Like many counties across the state, Portage Co. has numerous regions that test above state-recommended nitrate levels for human and animal consumption. The results of the test wells are expected to help better inform citizens and scientists of water quality throughout the village. The Nelsonville Well Quality Project has been ongoing since 2018.
Funding for the wells was awarded by the Portage County Board of Supervisors in December.
Portage County Executive John Pavelski said the project has been “a long time coming,” first proposed by the county’s Land and Water Conservation Committee in November 2020.
“However, finding appropriate funding for this project had been a challenge, and when the opportunity for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Plan Funding became available it was a perfect fit for the project,” Pavelski said in a Friday news release. “This has been a challenging state of affairs. There is nothing more basic than food, water, shelter, and livelihood, and when people feel these are threatened, the situation is bound to become emotionally-charged.”
Pavelski said he was proud of the staff in the county’s planning and zoning department who have worked countless hours on this, especially Jen McNelly, the county’s water resources specialist who has been, and continues to be, at the forefront of the project.
In April 2022 Portage County made available $2.2 million via Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) via the American Rescue Act. The funding is also available for any county resident with a nitrate level greater than 10ppm to obtain reimbursement for a reverse osmosis water filtration system.
To find out how to have your water screened for nitrates or to see if you qualify for an RO system, please call 715-346-1334 or email [email protected]
For more information about water quality in Portage County, please visit https://www.co.portage.wi.us/department/planning-zoning/groundwater-management
