County Map

Land and Water Conservation
Private Well/Manure Storage Abandonment

Unused or improperly abandoned wells are a threat to the groundwater of
St. Croix County

Unused and improperly abandoned wells are a significant threat to groundwater quality. If not properly filled with impermeable material, abandoned wells can directly channel contaminated surface or soil water into groundwater. Water that gets into abandoned wells bypasses the purifying action that normally takes place in the upper layers of the soil. Because groundwater flows in soil and bedrock formations (aquifers), contamination that enters old wells can move to nearby drinking water wells. Many thousands of improperly abandoned wells are threatening groundwater in Wisconsin. Whenever you see an old deteriorating windmill in the countryside, there is likely an improperly abandoned well underneath.

Click here (8 page, 63MB PDF) for additional information and answer to your questions on Well Abandonment.