DOOR COUNTY
WATER QUALITY

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Door County Needs a Clean Water Conference

by Roger Utnehmer
DoorCountyDailyNews.com President and General Manager

July 18, 2007 

The health of our citizens and the economic vitality of our county are threatened by every report of contaminated well water, beach closings and failing septic systems.

Clean water is far too important a resource to ignore protecting. Door County is lucky that negative news reports about water problems have not more severely damaged tourism. The stakes are high, both for the safety of residents and visitors alike but also for our clean-water-dependent economy.

The unique soil conditions found here in northeast Wisconsin justify frequent mandatory testing of septic tanks to detect leakage. The time is at hand to decide what parts of the county need more mandatory testing, how often it should be done and who will pay the bill.

A contaminated well can cause serious health problems for individuals and economic disaster for business. The county is facing serious problems. Leaking septic tanks, beach closings and problems from spreading liquid manure on thin soil have explosive potential to damage human health and our economy.

A “Door County Clean Water Conference” can start getting answers to some of the most important questions we need to be asking. What parts of Door County need frequent mandatory septic tank testing? Who will pay for replacement? Does spreading of liquid manure need more monitoring? Are beach closings caused by something that can be controlled? How safe is swimming and how safe is drinking water when so many septic tanks are leaking and our water table fed by such large areas of contribution?

Clean water and the consequences of not protecting it make this emotional, controversial and sometimes contentious. What we need is respectful discussion between people sharing a common concern. Clean water is important enough to discuss.

That’s my opinion. I’d like to hear yours. I’m Roger Utnehmer.

Rain events and avian waste are believed to be causes for heightened levels of e.coli at Door County beaches. Sanitarian Amanda Brown and five University of Wisconsin-
Oshkosh students head up the beach monitoring program in Door County. Brown feels confident that one major contributor to the e.coli is rain or storm events.
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For the last couple years, efforts have been made to try to find the source of the heightened levels of e.coli. Brown says their focus has somewhat shifted from finding the source, to abatement.
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Brown says the Soil & Water Department is in the process of presenting these designs to Door County municipalities.
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With over 250 miles of lakeshore and more than 30 beaches, the monitoring program in place is very important to Door County. Brown says Door County is very active in beach monitoring as well as finding ways to minimize the number of beach closings.

It is important to test your wells regularly says Department of Natural Resources Ground and Drinking Water Specialist Laurel Braatz. This way, results can be compared to past tests. Braatz says there are few times a year that increased contamination events are noticed.
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There are a couple ways wells can get contaminated after a rain event. Braatz says an increased amount of rain can result in a well being topped or flooded, causing water to run into the well. Braatz talks about another possibility for well contamination in our area.
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Well testing is quite simple and there are a couple different places to turn in your samples. Water test kits can be obtained from the Ephraim Wastewater Treatment Plant or from the county sanitarian. A listing of certified labs can also be picked up from the sanitarian's office. Braatz says it is important to test your well regularly.
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Well testing should be done periodically. Testing should be done at least once a year but collecting samples at different times is not a bad idea either. After rain events or the spring thaw are times known for well contamination. A change in the smell, color or taste of your drinking water is another time to get your well tested. Braatz suggests keeping a log to compare results. In the next part of this series we'll talk more about well testing and how to do it correctly.

Conducting routine water testing on your own property is a great way to address Door County's poor water quality problem says Department of Natural Resources Drinking and Ground Water Specialist Laurel Braatz. There is one laboratory in Door County that can help with this water testing. Kits can be purchased and submitted at the Ephraim Wastewater Treatment Plant.
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Braatz says the DNR website can also provide information on other certified labs as well as labs that will test for different compounds that may be concerning. When asked if Coli form/E.coli were the main causes for concern, Braatz said this.
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Coli form/E.coli are not normally found in ground water but they are present in surface water. That means if these organisms are found in the drinking water there is a breech in the system somewhere.
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Water test kits usually cost around $20. While the DNR recommends annual testing, Braatz suggests routine testing so that records can be compared. A change in odor or clarity are also reasons to test. After a major rain event or spring melt are also ideal times to test, says Braatz.
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In Door County, Water test kits can be obtained from the county sanitarian department or at the Ephraim Wastewater Treatment Plant. Those in Kewaunee County can have water samples analyzed at a laboratory in Luxemburg. Braatz says it is a good idea to have an extra water kit on hand, in the event that you may need one at some point. More information is available by phoning Laurel Braatz at the DNR in Sturgeon Bay at (920)746-2872

DNR Monitoring Ground & Drinking Water
By Karyn Klement DoorCountyDailyNews.com
September 23, 2007

There are many people in our community who are concerned about Door County's water quality problem and Department of Natural Resources Drinking and Ground Water Specialist Laurel Braatz is one of them. As part of our Door County Water Quality Virtual Conference, we have heard from Door County Sanitarian John Teichler, Door County Environmental Council Director Jerry Viste and Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership board member Ed Douglass. Today we'll hear from Braatz as she explains how she works with the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
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Braatz says her position deals with private wells and well construction and she works with well drillers and pump installers. Her focus has to do with water, not waste like county sanitarian John Teichler. When asked how many public wells tested came back with negative or "bad" results, Braatz said it was hard to say.
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When looking at the past years, Braatz says there isn't a huge difference between then and now. She says historically, Door County has had a problem with ground water quality because of the geology; the lack of soil and filtration of surface water and anything it may be carrying with it.
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In the next story in this series, we'll hear again from DNR Drinking and Ground Water Specialist Laurel Braatz. She'll talk about repairing wells that release polluted water.

While it may not be cheap to fix a failing septic system, Door County Sanitarian John Teichler says most people are quite cooperative. Teichler and his team travel throughout the county testing septic systems. Tests occur when a property changes hands or during random checks or sweeps. A homeowner has one year to fix a failing system. Teichler says roughly 95% of those people with failing systems are very cooperative with the county sanitarian department.
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Water quality continues to be a problem in Door County, whether people realize that or not. Teichler says continued cooperation from everyone will help.
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In addition, Teichler says system maintenance is a big help too.
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Teichler believes many homeowners know about Door County's water quality issue. He says those who have invested in a new system usually do whatever they can to maintain it. Finally, Teichler says the Door County Sanitarian Department's job is to be sure systems are upgraded or replaced. Their goal is to protect Door County's water supply and Teichler thanks all who have helped with that. Information on failing systems and Private Sewage System Files are public record.

If you think your septic system may be failing, Door County Sanitarian John Teichler suggests calling a private plumber or soil specialist. Continuing our Door County Water Quality Virtual Conference, we'll hear again from county sanitarian John Teichler. He says a private plumber or soil specialist can evaluate your septic system and let you know if it needs to be replaced. Water quality is a serious concern in Door County and much of that is because of the fractured bedrock that lies just inches below the soil. Many fight their conscious when it comes to this issue. We know that our drinking water is getting contaminated, but many struggle with the price that comes along with fixing it.
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If the septic system is failing, a homeowner could be forking out even more to have it replaced.
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Teichler says the type of system one needs is governed by the Wisconsin Administrative Code Com 83 or private onsite waste treatment system code. Soil depth and texture are important when determining which system you will need.
It can be tough for those who are concerned about Door County's water quality problems. Some do want to replace their systems, but funding can be a problem. Teichler says the Wisconsin Fund is one way to get assistance. He says those who are eligible could get some help to replace their system.
Those with failing septic systems have one year to repair or replace them. Teichler says funding is the main reason for that. In the mean time, it is quite possible that contaminants are passing right through those few inches of top soil and the fractured bed rock and in to our drinking water.

There are a couple noticeable signs that your septic system may be failing. The DoorCountyDailyNews.com Virtual Water Conference is an effort to educate and get people talking about our water issues. In the last story, Door County Sanitarian John Teichler talked about his department and what they do. Today, we'll hear more from him as he talks about what exactly goes on in Door County. When asked how we would know if our septic systems may be failing, Teichler said this.
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When asked what percent of the county's septic systems were failing, Teichler said "it depends on the area."
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DoorCountyDailyNews.com asked Teichler if that meant these failing systems were putting raw sewage into the ground and the fractured bedrock that underlies our county and stores our drinking water?
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There are many things that the Door County Sanitarian Department does. We'll continue talking with County Sanitarian John Teichler about this hot topic. He'll explain what to do if you think your septic system may be failing and how much it might cost you.

The BP Corporation's request to dump large amounts of ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan is Beyond Preposterous says Door County Environmental Council Executive Director Jerry Viste. BP, or Beyond Petroleum, Corporation is planning to expand their oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana. BP has also requested and been granted a permit that allows
them to dump large amounts of discharge into Lake Michigan. Viste says it seems the EPA is supportive of this because of the pressure they are getting for more petroleum availability in the country. He talks about what will be dumped into Lake Michigan.
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Viste says ammonia is a real source of nitrogen for algae and he added that we really do not need more of that. He says there are a number of other things that could happen as a result of this dumping.
When asked why anyone would want to do something like this, Viste says because of convenience. He says this is a real problem and although the ammonia and sludge materials would be dumped in Indiana, it affects all of us.
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Viste says it is distressing that a federal agency would even consider allowing this to happen with all the problems that currently exist. Viste says it is not known exactly what would happen to our fisheries as a result of this, however, ammonia promotes algae blooms which have been known to kill fish. He says we need to speak up concerning this issue.
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The House of Representatives approved a resolution to accept the plan on Wednesday. The vote was 387 to 26 in favor and permits BP to dump over 1,500 pounds of ammonia and nearly 5,000 pounds of suspended solids into Lake Michigan everyday. Viste says its all Beyond Preposterous!

A steady buildup of decaying cladophora and zebra muscles on the shores of Lake Michigan and Green Bay has the Door County Environmental Council worried that beach closings will reach another all time high this summer. In 2005, a record number of closings and warnings were issued and it looks like we may be headed towards another summer filled with heightened levels of E. coli present in the water. Executive Director of DCEC Jerry Viste talked about what is causing beach closings and water contamination.
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Viste said there are no studies that prove the cladophora buildup is the cause of the E. coli, but he feels it certainly is a factor. DCEC is focusing on the discharges that paper mills and other manufacturers are pumping into the Fox River. Viste feels that if stricter guidelines were enforced on places like the Pulliam Plant in Green Bay, Door County would have less beach closings and water clarity issues.
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Municipal discharges and agricultural runoff are two of the leading factors that lead to water contamination. Viste said last summer not many people paid attention to E. coli warnings and closings at Door and Kewaunee County beaches, however if the water continues to get worse the tourist draw will diminish. The cause of pollution is still out there, because studies have come up short in determining why water contamination is still a major issue.