Clean Wisconsin

In Kewaunee County, citizens face the troubling decision of whether or not to drink their tap water. For years, the county’s groundwater has been contaminated with dangerous bacteria, nitrates, and other harmful impurities. To address these health concerns, Clean Wisconsin, along with Midwest Environmental Advocates and a group of concerned Kewaunee County residents, asked the EPA to investigate pollutants and create a monitoring system that can inform effective management practices to protect against future contamination. As a result of this work, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources stepped in to form the Groundwater Collaboration Workgroup to research and regulate when and where manure can be spread in Kewaunee County.

Central Sands is another area of Wisconsin experiencing ground water issues. Lakes and streams have been drying up and families are finding that their wells are tapped out. The cause of groundwater depletion is the high-capacity wells that draw more than 100,000 gallons of water per day, despite scientific evidence that they have a negative impact on nearby lakes and streams. To fight against activities that degrade groundwater sources, Clean Wisconsin has filed nine lawsuits against the Department of Natural Resources for failing to protect both waterbodies and the people of Wisconsin.

Clean Wisconsin is also battling efforts by state senators to roll back sulfide mining regulations, exposing children, communities, and ecosystems to a number of harmful effects. This organization refuses to allow mining operations to create irreversible damage from their activities and is acting on behalf of the people who would be most impacted.