Nearly 1 in 3 La Crosse County wells have tested for high nitrate levels

County has yet to pinpoint exact cause.

Almost one out of three well water samples tested recently by La Crosse County has contained high levels of contamination.  

Tested were 451 samples and 130 of those came back with high nitrate levels.

That has forced county health workers to play detective.

Last month, the county sent out 2,000 letters asking homeowners to test their well water for nitrates or bacteria. Those substances turned up in nearly 30 percent of the tests, so far.

Lab manager Carol Drury from the county health dept. says they’re not to the point of nailing down a specific cause for the contamination.

“We’re just trying to find out how widespread it is,” she said.

The early evidence seems to suggest that manure from a pig farm in the town of Holland, Wis., could be causing the contamination.

Drury says families whose water has tested positive for nitrates are being advised to get reverse osmosis system for their wells. 

She also added that the county could form a work group that would propose ways to protect other private wells from contamination.