State of Wisconsin \ DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
September 10, 2004
To: Wisconsin Licensed Well Drillers
Subject: Establishment of "Special Well Casing Pipe Depth Area"
Outagamie County & Winnebago County (Entire area of both Counties)
Dear Wisconsin Licensed Well Driller:
A "Special Well Casing Pipe Depth Area" has been established for all of Outagamie and Winnebago Counties,
Wisconsin. Attached is a memo describing this new "Special Well Casing Pipe Depth Area." This area has been
established due to naturally-occurring arsenic contamination problems affecting many wells in these two counties.
This new "Special Well Casing Pipe Depth Area" includes the entire two county area and replaces the former
"Arsenic Advisory Area" established by the Department in 1993. This new area also supersedes the four previously
established arsenic "Special Well Casing Depth Areas" in these two Counties.
As of October 1, 2004, Private wells must be constructed, grouted and disinfected according to more stringent
standards within this "Special Well Casing Pipe Depth Area" -- as described in the attached documents. This area has
been established under the provisions of s. NR 812.12(3) and is designed to reduce the possibility that new wells
constructed or reconstructed in these two counties produce water with significant concentrations of arsenic.
Consuming water containing high concentrations of arsenic has been shown to pose a significant hazard to human
health. These new required construction standards for these two counties will involve alternate drilling methods and
construction specifications that are more stringent than the minimum requirements of the State Private Well Code (NR
812). Wells constructed or reconstructed in much of the area of these counties will have to be cased & cement grouted
down to at least the top of the Cambrian Sandstone. In some of the eastern parts of these counties there will also be an
alternate option to construct wells in a manner that will allow the use of the shallow Galena-Platteville Dolomite
Aquifer.
Consultation with the Department's Northeast Region's Drinking Water Program Staff is recommended -- prior to
construction -- to help determine if a proposed well will meet these more stringent standards.
Sincerely.
Mark F. Putra, R.S. Chief
Private Water Systems Section
Bureau of Drinking Water & Groundwater
Attachment
cc: Statewide Drinking Water & Groundwater Program Staff
Outagamie County Health Department
Winnebago County Health Department

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