Wisconsin Wellhead Protection Program Summary
The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was enacted in 1974 to provide safe public drinking water and to protect the sources of drinking water from contaminants. In 1986, amendments to the SDWA strengthened the provisions for protecting groundwater by requiring each state to develop and implement a state wellhead protection programs (WHPP).The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the lead state agency for developing and implementing Wisconsin's WHPP. The goal of Wisconsin's wellhead protection program is to achieve additional groundwater pollution prevention measures within public water supply wellhead areas consistent with the state's overall goals of minimizing the concentration of polluting substances in groundwater and providing adequate safeguards for public health and welfare.
The DNR, working with other state and federal agencies, and with extensive citizen input, has developed a two part state wellhead protection program plan which was approved by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1993. Part of the Wisconsin program plan is mandatory and requires that a wellhead protection plan be developed for any municipal well proposed after May 1, 1992. The plan must be approved by DNR staff before the municipal well can be placed into service.
The following is a list of the requirements for a wellhead protection plan from section NR 811.16(5), Wis. Adm. Code. Each of these requirements must be addressed in a required wellhead protection plan.
- Identification of the recharge area for the proposed well.
- Identification of the zone of influence for the proposed well.
- Identification of the groundwater flow direction.
- An inventory of existing potential sources of contamination within a ½ mile radius of the well and an assessment of existing potential sources of contamination within the recharge area of the well.
- Establishment of a wellhead protection area (WHPA) for the proposed well. The WHPA shall encompass, at a minimum, that portion of the recharge area equivalent to a 5 year time of travel to the well. The WHPA may be determined by a hydrogeologic investigation.
- A public education program for wellhead protection.
- A water conservation program.
- A contingency plan for providing safe water in the event of any contamination incident.
- A management plan, based on the assessment of alternatives for addressing potential sources of contamination, describing the local ordinances, zoning requirements, monitoring program and other local initiatives proposed for the delineated WHPA. At a minimum, the management plan must address maintaining the separation distances established in the well siting portion of section NR 811.16(4), Wis. Adm. Code.
The DNR has also prepared several documents which provide technical advice in completing the steps of a wellhead protection plan as well as educational material on groundwater and wellhead protection. See the annotated bibliography for more information.
Whether preparing a required or voluntary wellhead protection plan, communities are encouraged to address each of the above elements. Wellhead protection is a comprehensive pollution prevention tool that needs to be complete in order to be effective. Doing only some of the elements may not provide adequate wellhead protection.
For more information on Wisconsin's regulatory wellhead protection program, contact Lee Boushon at 608-266-0857.
For more information on Wisconsin's voluntary wellhead protection program,
contact Dave Lindorff toll free at 877-268-WELL.
Last Revised: Monday March 26 2007
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