Drinking Water Program

The St. Croix County Community Development Department offers various programs throughout the year that provides residents with opportunities to test their private well water. Participation is voluntary and programs are developed to make testing convenient and ensure residents are working with State Certified Laboratories. Additionally, well owners learn about their drinking water and things that you can do to keep their water supply healthy.

Residents living in rural areas are encouraged to test their drinking water annually for certain contaminants like coliform bacteria. Often times a family may have no idea what is happening with their drinking water because some contaminants have no taste, odor, or color. Their presence can only be determined by testing with state-certified laboratories.

Don't feel comfortable testing your water, consider hiring:

Results

Results will be mailed directly to you within 10-working days from the date received by the lab.

Available Analyses

Drinking Water Survey - We Want Your Input!

St. Croix County is conducting a survey to better understand how residents view and use our local water resources — and what concerns matter most to you. Your feedback will help guide future efforts to keep our water safe, reliable, and sustainable for everyone in our community. The survey is voluntary and confidential, but your input makes a real difference.

Upcoming Free Well Water Nitrate Screening Clinics

St. Croix County is continuing its effort to help residents monitor and protect their drinking water through free well water nitrate screening clinics. Nitrate contamination in drinking water can have health implications, so it is important for residents to be aware of the nitrate levels in their well water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standard for nitrate is 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), it is estimated that approximately 12% of wells in St. Croix County exceed this limit. These screening opportunities are a simple and cost-effective way to annually monitor nitrate concentrations in private wells.

This year’s clinics are part of a grant-funded initiative that focuses on understanding the effect of various water treatment systems on nitrate concentrations in drinking water. Residents are encouraged to bring in both pre-treatment and post-treatment water samples to help evaluate how effectively their system is removing nitrate.

How to Participate

To take part in a screening clinic, please follow these simple steps:

1. Select a screening clinic that fits into your schedule (Upcoming clinics are currently being planned)

2. Collect Your Samples

  • Bring about eight ounces of water per sample in clean, closed containers (preferably glass).
  • If you have a treatment system, collect one sample before the treatment device and one after the treated water.
  • Samples should be collected within 24 hours of the clinic event.

3. On-Site Analysis
Nitrate testing will be conducted on-site, and participants will receive immediate results for each sample.

4. Interpretation and Guidance
Trained staff will be available to discuss and interpret the results of the nitrate analysis. They can also provide guidance on any further actions that may be necessary based on the results.

By participating, residents gain valuable insight into the nitrate levels in their water and the effectiveness of their treatment systems. These results help homeowners make informed decisions about their drinking water and contribute to a broader understanding of nitrate trends across St. Croix County.

Dates and Locations of Clinics: 

  • Know Your Water: A Nitrate Awareness Workshop – Baldwin Ag Center
    Wednesday, February 11 | 1:00 – 4:30pm (Speakers 1:00 - 3:00pm) | Agriculture Service & Education Center, 1960 8thAve, Baldwin, WI
    Presenter Line Up:
    • Patty Schrank, Water Resource Specialist - Overview of nitrates in St. Croix County 
    • Genevieve Palazzolo, Public Health Strategist - Health implications of nitrates
    • Cayla Cavey, Groundwater Specialist - Testing and treatment options for nitrates
    • Tim Stieber, Land and Water Conservation Administrator - Tackling nitrates
  • Wednesday, March 18 | 1:00 – 5:00pm | Warren Town Hall – 720 112th St, Roberts, WI
  • Saturday, April 25 |12:00pm – 4:00pm | Earth Fest – UWRF University Center, 501 Wild Rose Ave, River Falls, WI
  • Tuesday, May 12 | 1:00 – 5:00pm | Hammond Town Hall, 1816 County Rd E, Hammond, WI
  • Tuesday, June 9 | 1:00 – 5:00pm | Deer Park Library, 112 Front Street West, Deer Park, WI

View this Youtube video created by the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point to see how to properly take a water sample at home.

Other Testing Options

If you are unable to attend a nitrate screening clinic in St. Croix County but still wish to have your well water tested, you have the option to pick up a state-certified test kit at a county office location. This provides an alternative method for residents to assess the nitrate levels in their well water.

To obtain a state-certified test kit, you can visit one of the designated county office locations in St. Croix County:

Baldwin Agriculture Service & Education Center

  • 1960 8th Avenue, Suite 141, Baldwin, WI 54002
  • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Hudson Government Center in the Community Development Department

  • Main Floor-1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, WI 54016
  • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Community Services Center (New Richmond)

  • 1752 Dorset Lane, New Richmond, WI 54017
  • Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

After collecting the sample, you will need to submit it to the appropriate laboratory for analysis. The test kit should provide information on where and how to send the sample for testing. The laboratory will conduct the nitrate analysis and provide you with the results.

If you have any questions or require assistance with the test kit or the interpretation of the results, you can contact the relevant county office for guidance. They should be able to provide you with the necessary support and information.

Collect Samples

  • The best time to drop off samples for shipment is just before the last pick-up time as specified by the carrier.
  • Keep sample bottle(s) chilled (fridge or on ice) until shipped
  • The lab must receive samples within 40-hours after collection (if bacteria is being sampled)
  • Please note: samples are not Hazardous
  • Plan to collect water samples after 2:00 p.m. on either Monday or Tuesday
  • How to collect a water sample

Shipping Options:

St. Croix County PFAS Study

In a prior study conducted in 2023, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collected 54 samples from public water systems, including 27 from municipal community wells, 19 from non-transient non-community wells, and 8 from other-than-municipal community wells. Out of these 54 wells, 17 had PFAS detections.
 
 In the spring of 2024, LWCD staff collected eight PFAS samples from private wells. The study aimed to determine if PFAS concentrations in private wells were higher compared to those in public water systems, since private wells are typically shallower than public wells.
 
 Through the data gathered thus far, it has been found that no well exceeds the drinking water standard for any of the PFAS chemicals. Additionally, it has been observed that PFBS is the most commonly found PFAS chemical in St. Croix County's aquifer. This chemical has been detected in all well types ranging in depths from 108 ft to 410 ft. Although no wells were found to be over the drinking water standard for PFAS chemicals, additional data collection is still recommended.  In total, 63 PFAS samples have been collected in St. Croix County.  However, with approximately 17,000 wells in the County, less than 1% of the wells have been tested for forever chemicals.

St. Croix County Complete PFAS Study (PDF)