MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A new report from the American Society of Civil Engineers says Wisconsin will have $7 billion in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs in the next 20 years.
The state is already facing water problems, such as the pollution of nearly one-third of private wells in Kewaunee County and the possible contamination of nearly 2,000 La Crosse County wells.
Bill Davis, the head of the Wisconsin Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter, says things like allowing more concentrated animal feeding operations and high-capacity well regulations jeopardize groundwater quality.
La Crosse County Health Department Director Jen Rombalski says protecting groundwater quality needs to become part of statewide planning because it's cheaper to maintain clean groundwater than it is to treat contaminated areas. He encourages residents to get their wells tested for contamination.