Contact: Steve Elmore, DNR program director, Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater
Steve.elmore@wisconsin.gov or 608-259-6100
DNR Publishes Annual Report Card On Efforts To Protect Wisconsin’s Drinking Water Supplies
Last year, more than 99% of Wisconsin’s public water systems provided water that met safe drinking water standards.
Photo credit: iStock.com/Alter_photo
MADISON, Wis. – The Department of Natural Resources recently published its 2019 Annual Drinking Water Report which summarizes compliance with the drinking water requirements and highlights statewide efforts to help public water systems provide safe and adequate drinking water supplies.
Last year, more than 99% of Wisconsin’s public water systems provided water that met safe drinking water standards.
“This level of success depends on a lot of hard work by many people all over the state,” said Steve Elmore, program director of the Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater. “Managing Wisconsin’s drinking water resources and adhering to state and federal regulations would not be possible without strong collaborative partnerships between the DNR, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), public water systems, county health officials, professional associations, individual operators, other water quality organizations and water consumers.”
Helping achieve compliance takes many forms. The DNR inspects public water systems regularly and provides on-site assessments when bacterial contaminants are detected. Through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program, the DNR provided more than $60 million in assistance to 29 communities around the state in 2019 to help them make repairs and improvements to their drinking water systems.
Gov. Tony Evers declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water, focusing attention on the importance of safe drinking water and initiating new efforts to address concerns about contamination from nitrate, lead and PFAS.
“Wisconsin faces numerous challenges, including aging infrastructure, limited funding, nitrate contamination and threats from emerging contaminants,” said Adam DeWeese, DNR Public Water Supply section chief. “But the DNR and many other people are working hard to meet those challenges and protect the state’s drinking water.”
View the 2019 Annual Drinking Water Report here or call 608-266-1054 to request a copy.
