Lead in Flint, Mich., water; arsenic in La Crosse

51 of 72 counties in
state have high levels

Arsenic isn’t about to poison everyone in Wisconsin.

The feds, however, say the state continues to be an arsenic hot spot in the nation with 51 of 72 counties having higher than acceptable levels in private wells, and that includes La Crosse, Jackson and Vernon counties. 

It’s something that can easily be identified, though, but only with a test, says Scott Chiples from Culligan in La Crosse.

“Nitrates and arsenic bacteria, you can’t see them, you can’t taste them,” Chiples said. “The only way you’ll know if that’s an issue is if you test for it.

“It seems that most people don’t think of testing their well water other than when there’s a real estate transaction and they have to.”

With more awareness in Wisconsin, it could lead to more testing, and that’s a good thing, Chiples said, not only for identifying arsenic, but other invisible threats, like nitrates and bacteria.

“There could be some surface water intrusion, especially if we have a really wet spring or there’s some flooding,” he added.

Unlike bacteria, if your well doesn’t have high arsenic or nitrate levels, it probably won’t, Chiples noted.