STATE OF WISCONSIN JANINE GESKE,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> WE NOW TURN TO CENTRAL
WISCONSIN WHERE THE DISCOVERY OF
NITRATE IN DRINKING WATER IS
POSING A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH
IN A SMALL VILLAGE.
OUR REPORTER NATHAN DENZIN TAKES
US TO NELSONVILLE FOR THE STORY.
>> IT STARTED WHEN I BOUGHT THIS
HOUSE.
>> TEAR ONHAS LIVED IN
NELSONVILLE FOR TEN YEARS.
WHEN HE FIRST MOVED IN AND
STARTED TESTING, HIS PRIVATE
WELL SAW HIGH NITRATE LEVELS.
>> THEY OFFERED ANOTHER
SCREENING IN THE VILLAGE OF AM
HERS AND I DECIDED TO GET A
BUNCH OF GLASS MASON JARS AND
TOOK THEM AROUND AND COLLECTED
SAMPLES FROM ALL MY NEIGHBORS
AND ABOUT HALF OF THOSE SAMPLES
CAME BACK ABOVE TEN.
>> ABOVE TEN MEANS MORE THAN TEN
PARTS PER MILLION THE LISTED
UNSAFE LIMIT FOR NITRATES.
IF YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN BY FARMS
IN WISCONSIN, CHANCES ARE YOU'VE
SMELLED MANURE GETTING SPRAYED
ON CROPS.
WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, THE
PROCESS OF FERTILIZING FARMLAND
THE LEAVE A CHEMICAL CALLED
NITRATE IN THE SOIL.
THEY CAN HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH
EFFECTS IF THEY LEECH INTO
DRINKING WATER.
NITRATES ARE PRODUCED NATURALLY
WHEN MANURE IS SPRAYED ON CROPS.
NITRATE IS NECESSARY FOR MOST
CASH CROPS LIKE CORN OR ALFALFA
TO GROW.
GEORGE KRAFT.
>> RAINWATER AND SNOW MELT, THEY
WASH THE NITRATE DOWN THROUGH
THE SOIL AND IT'S A SLIPPERY
CHEMICAL THAT DOESN'T WANT TO
STICK AND MOVES THROUGH THE SOIL
PROFILE AND GETS TO GROUNDWATER.
>> NORMALLY WISCONSIN'S
CLAY-RICH SOIL FILTERS OUT
NITRATE BEFORE THE CHEMICAL CAN
REACH PRIVATE WELLS.
HOWEVER, IN THE CENTRAL SANDS
RIDGE OWN IN AND AROUND PORTAGE
COUNTY NITRATES MOVE QUICKLY
THROUGH SANDY SOIL AND
INFILTRATE GROUNDWATER.
THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SERVICES SAYS HIGH LEVELS
OF NITRATE IN DRINKING WATER CAN
CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS, THYROID
DISEASE AND INCREASE THE RISK OF
COLON CANCER.
ANY LEVEL ABOVE TEN PARTS PER
MILLION.
NELSONVILLE HAS BEEN DEALING
WITH NITRATE PROBLEM SINCE 2018.
IT IS LIKELY THE PROBLEM HAS
EXISTED IN THE AREA FOR DECADES.
>> IN 2018 THE RESIDENTS WHO
LIVE WITHIN THE VILLAGE OF
NELSONVILLE STARTED ASKING
QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT YOUR
WATER QUALITY AND WHEN WE
STARTED TRYING TO FIND DATA TO
ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS, WE
REALIZED THERE REALLY WASN'T A
WHOLE LOT.
>> USING GRANT MONEY, PORTAGE
COUNTY WATER RESOURCE SPECIALIST
JEN MCNELLY AND OTHER COUNTY
SCIENTISTS SAMPLED 60 OF THE
VILLAGE'S 80 PRIVATE WELLS AND
FOUND RESULTS THAT ALARMED HER.
ABOUT HALF OF ALL WELLS IN
NELSONVILLE SHOW NITRATE LEVELS
ABOVE THE SAFE LIMIT OF TEN
PARTS PER MILLION WITH SOME EVEN
REACHING A DANGEROUS TIPPING
POINT OF OVER 30 PARTS PER
MILLION.
IF NITRATE LEVELS REACH 30 PARTS
PER MILLION WATER CAN NO LONGER
BE CLEANED AND MADE SAFE.
HOWEVER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
TELL IF YOUR WATER IS
CONTAMINATED UNLESS YOU
REGULARLY TEST IT.
>> IT DOESN'T TASTE ANY
DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT.
THERE IS NO SMELL TO IT.
IT TASTES GREAT.
>> MARK BRUEGGEMANN HAS WELL
WATER ABOVE TEN PARTS PER
MILLION.
IT APPROACHES THE 30 PARTS PER
MILLION LIMIT.
>> WE CAN'T GO ON WITH THAT
WATER.
IT IS NECESSARY FOR ANYTHING YOU
WANT TO DO.
>> BREWING MAN LIVES IN A HOUSE
WITH HIS WIFE DIAGNOSED WITH
ALZHEIMER'S.
HE SAID AFTER GETTING RESULTS
THAT SHOWED HIS WATER AT
DANGEROUS LEVELS HE CONTACTED
CULLIGAN TO INSTALL A REVERSE
OSMOSIS MACHINE, RO MACHINES CAN
FILTER NITRATE UNDER 30 PARTS
PER MILLION.
BRUEGGEMANN SAYS HIS WIFE WOULD
OFTEN DRINK WATER FROM THE
FAUCET NOT CONNECTED TO THE RO
MACHINE.
>> WE NOW KEEP JUGS OF WATER IN
THE REFRIGERATOR AND LOIS PRETTY
MUCH DOESN'T GET HER OWN WATER
ANYMORE.
>> RO MACHINES ARE ONE BAND-AID
SOLUTION.
HIS FAMILY OPTED TO GET THEIR
WATER FROM A TOWN IN LYND 40
MILES AWAY FROM NELSONVILLE.
>> NOT TOO BAD.
ALMOST 30 DEGREES.
SWIMMING WHETHER IN SCONNIE.
>> I DRIVE WEEKLY AND FILL UP
ANY SEVEN GALLON JUGS.
I FILL 4 OR 5 OF THEM.
>> HE SAYS HE TESTED THIS WATER
TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAVE
NITRATE AND NOW MAKES THE
90-MINUTE JOURNEY ABOUT ONCE A
WEEK.
>> IN THE SUMMER IT'S NOT TOO
BAD.
IN THE WINTERTIME IT CAN SUCK.
IT GETS ALL ICE AND HEAVY.
>> THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS