Despite consistent resident requests, you likely will not see United States Department of Agriculture researcher Dr. Tucker Burch present in front of the Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Committee. The committee unanimously supported the decision not to bring Burch to the county for a presentation. In March, Burch was a guest speaker for a session hosted by the Door County Environmental Council and Kewaunee CARES earlier this year to discuss his research on water-borne infectious diseases. Burch has co-authored several field studies on private well contamination in Kewaunee County, including in 2021, when he linked cow manure as the top factor for acute gastrointestinal illness. According to Wisconsin Watch, the study predicts that cow manure causes 230 cases of acute gastrointestinal illness in the county, far outpacing what could be caused by human waste in leaking septic systems. The same study found that the closer the well was to a manure storage pit, the more likely it could become contaminated. Outside of one resident, other residents present for the meeting took time during the open comment period to express their support for bringing Burch to Kewaunee County and chastising the committee for their lack of action.

Kewaunee County Public Health Director Cindy Kinnard pushed back on the findings, specifically challenging the term “underreporting” when it comes to residents seeking medical attention for their sicknesses.

Some good news did come out of the meeting as Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Director Davina Bonness and Kewaunee County Board Supervisor Tim Kinnard say some of the poor water quality concerns in the Village of Casco are improving. However, there is still a long way to go before it is safe to use.