Groundwater contamination

Hello,

This is a short document on some examples that have had adverse effects on ground water and private wells in and around the state. I would first bring your attention just north of our community. When the DOT wanted to expand state highway 164 over state highway 175, a quarry about ¾ of a mile (significantly farther than the required 1,500 ft. notification zone), northwest and west of the Village of Ackerville was used as a landfill for the construction of the expansion. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/pha.asp?docid=735&pg=1

Some private wells in that community are now contaminated with arsenic and trichloroethylene (TCE).

I think everyone in the area knows about the gas leak that happened in Jackson, http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Spills/Jackson.html although this contamination is not from a landfill, it does show the impact of hazardous materials on our ground water. The people of that community were devastated with that accidental spill. Property values plummeted and they have spent millions on trying to recover.

The EPA has done research on this very subject http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/dumps.htm. Of great interest to me is the different classification of landfills. Sanitary landfills that only allow clean fill to be used and landfills that are allowed to fill with hazardous waste. As was brought up by the hydrologist Douglas S. Cherkauer at the meeting on March 19th, was the very strong possiblity of groundwater contamination with the introduction of foreign fill. The fact that our ground water is our only source of drinking water should emphisize the importance of protecting this natural resource. Just think of the impact of contaminated ground water on our residence and schools.

I am adding a link http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/HCPHA.asp?State=WI, for your review of other ground water issues around the state. Thank-you.