A “clean water access” bill, sponsored by State Representative Joel Kitchens and State Senator Rob Cowles, has been introduced in the state legislature. In a statement released Thursday, Kitchens said the legislation will provide relief and access to clean water, a basic right that most of us take for granted. He said the karst geo-region of Wisconsin is characterized by shallow soils over limestone bedrock and that the geologic feature is particularly problematic in northeastern Wisconsin where there is a very high concentration of dairy cattle and very little soil to act as a filter to remove fecal contaminants before they reach groundwater. The bill, as proposed, provides a mechanism whereby a city, village, town or county can set up a private well remediation plan and repay any monies invested in the program through a special charge or assessment. The bill also increases the limit on the amount of grant funding awarded under the state’s well compensation grant program.
