Clean Water Updates
Short posts on current issues, updated as necessary to keep our Clean Water supporters informed.
Posted October 22, 2025- Latest WXPR articles provide PFAS information from Oneida County as well as latest remediation research.
Expanded PFAS testing
In an October WXPR post More wells in Oneida County are testing positive for PFAS | WXPR , Katie Thoresen shares the latest DNR PFAS test results from their expanded testing efforts in Oneida County. So far in limited expanded test sampling, there were seven well test results exceeding Wisconsin DHS' allowable limits for PFAS. Those exceedances were in the towns of Crescent, Newbold, and Pine Lake.
With the DNR having federal funding available to test up to 450 wells, more property owner participation will be necessary to reach this goal. The expanded free testing for now, is being offered by the DNR in the form of U.S. postal mailing to targeted locations. The targeted locations are properties located near agricultural fields in the towns of Crescent, Newbold, Pine Lake, Pelican, and Sugar Camp. If you think your property fits this description and you would like your water tested for PFAS, we recommend contacting the DNR's Mark Pauli at Mark.Pauli@wisconsin.gov or by phone at (715) 499-0612.
Soil remediation
Considering the recent DNR/EPA soil sample testing results for PFAS in the town of Stella, soil remediation will definitely be on the table down the road. An October 21st WXPR article A look at how researchers are trying to get PFAS out of soil | WXPR shares the latest research on PFAS remediation options. Phytoremediation the uptake of PFAS into plants and thermal desorption (applying high temperatures to the soil) are some of the possible solutions. Replacing the contaminated soil is also an option, one that has been used by the mining industry to clean up other types of soil contamination.
Interestingly there is current research looking at immobilizing the PFAS in the soil. A quote from the above WXPR article expounds on that process.
"Liang says there’s also been promising research into different material that could be added to the soil to immobilize the PFAS—which she says may be a good solution for agricultural fields that are contaminated.
“We know PFOA/PFOS, they tend to stay in soil, so why not just leave them there, but then make them immobilized in the soil? We have been studying different materials we can amend to the soil,” said Liang. “These materials will bind to PFAS. The binding is so tight that PFOA/PFOS will not migrate to groundwater and will not go to the plants growing in the soil.”
Liang says short-term studies have proven effective, but long-term studies are still needed for this method."
Who pays for remediation?
The question of who will pay for remediation remains up in the air for now. There are three potential options that could provide funding for remediation:
1. EPA designates the Stella/Oneida County contamination as a Superfund site with federal taxpayer dollars initially paying for remediation and the EPA having the ability recoup expenses from parties determined responsible.
2. Wisconsin taxpayers' foot the bill for the cleanup with the DNR recouping some of the expenses from the parties determined responsible for the contamination. This case is only possible if the Wisconsin Spills Law remains intact.
3. Wisconsin taxpayers' foot the bill with no monies recouped from responsible parties. This case is possible if the Wisconsin Spills Law is weakened to the point where the DNR does not have the ability to hold polluters financially responsible.
We at OCCWA have been covering the Wisconsin Spills Law political taffy pull for the past 2 years. The main point of contention being the definition of responsible party. Without some kind of agreement on responsible party language, none of the states PFAS designated dollars ($125 million) will be released to aide private well owners. Also, the DNR's ability to hold polluters responsible remains in question.
Posted October 9, 2025- WJFW's October 8th interview with Dan Butkus shines a light on the impacts of the WDNR's Healthy Lakes and Rivers Program on its 10-year anniversary.
In the interview Healthy Lakes and Rivers celebrate 10th anniversary | | wjfw.com Mr. Butkus, former Wisconsin Lakes president and Squash Lake property owner shares his experience, and the benefits of taking advantage of the WDNR's Healthy Lakes and Rivers Program. The reason for the interview was Wisconsin DNR celebrating its ten-year anniversary of the program which has now provided shoreline restoration creating fish and wildlife habitat to over 1000 properties across the state. The program is truly a Wisconsin environmental success story!
The WDNR September 29th press release Healthy Lakes And Rivers Initiative Celebrates 10 Years | Wisconsin DNR
"MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is celebrating a milestone year for the statewide Healthy Lakes & Rivers (HLR) initiative: 10 years of helping to protect Wisconsin’s waters.
Launched in 2015 in collaboration with the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership, HLR aims to protect and restore the health of the state’s lakes and rivers by increasing property owner participation in habitat restoration and runoff and erosion control projects. The initiative is based on five simple and inexpensive best practices: fish sticks (large woody habitat structures that utilize trees grouped together), native shoreline plantings, water diversion practices, rock infiltration practices and rain gardens.
“Wisconsin is unique in that it has a statewide shoreline health initiative and funding to help shoreland property owners take action to create habitat and improve water quality,” said DNR Secretary Karen Hyun. “You can apply inexpensive and simple best practices on your shoreland property, and together we can protect our waters for generations to come.”
Shoreland property owners and local partner organizations who want to make healthy lakes and rivers in their community can visit the HLR website to find fact sheets and step-by-step technical guidance documents for each practice. The website also features a free shoreland evaluation tool, “Score My Shore,” that walks property owners through a series of questions about the physical aspects of their lake or river property and how they manage it. Survey users receive a unique shoreland health score and recommendations on protecting water quality and habitat, such as redirecting gutter downspouts away from waterbodies, stopping mowing near the shore and leaving fallen trees or branches in the water to promote woody habitat for fish.
Local partners such as lake and river organizations, municipalities, counties and tribal governments may apply for an HLR cost-share grant on behalf of shoreland property owners. Funding is available for up to $1,000 per practice installed, with a grant cap of $25,000. Grant applications are accepted year-round through the DNR Surface Water Grant program. Eligible shoreland properties include those within 1,000 feet of a lake or 300 feet of a river or floodplain.
Thanks to the efforts of local grant sponsors across Wisconsin, more than 1,000 landowners across 205 lakes and rivers have received funding assistance from the DNR to install HLR best practices since the program’s inception. These participants have shared remarkable stories: from observing nesting wood turtles for the first time to eliminating runoff and the subsequent shoreline erosion, and even having the grandkids visit more often because of all the new butterflies.
Shoreland property owners and local partner organizations can learn how to start on the HLR website. "
Posted October 8, 2025- Wisconsin Public Radio article and documentary produced by Trout Lake Station highlight the importance of the research laboratory's work and its local impacts.
In a Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) September 30th post Trout Lake Station documentary highlights impact of Wisconsin research author Shereen Siewart covers the potential impacts from loss of federal funding at Trout Lake Station.
Most recently OCCWA has covered this issue in a September 12th post on our homepage. This latest WPR post expands on the Trout Lake Station saga. Related in the article is the potential loss of half the research stations budget due to federal funding cuts and the job losses that would follow.
Also, in a quote from the article Station Director Gretchen Garrish reminds Northwood residents how important it is to support government funding for Trout Lake Station, including telling local legislators the importance of the funding to our community.
"Gretchen Gerrish: I’m hoping that people see these National Science Foundation dollars in their own communities, that they see the value that they’re bringing to the waters, to the children, to education and to our economy. And that they really consider evaluating how they support their Legislature, their legislators and their decisions, and they advocate for what they do value in their homes, their lands and their waters. "
Trout Lake Station in fact has produced a 9-minute YouTube documentary " The Hidden Impact of a Northwoods Research Station". If you live in Oneida or Vilas County this short documentary is a must watch! View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdkmG3UoBTI
Posted October 1, 2025- DNR identifies responsible parties for town of Stella PFAS contamination.
To no one's surprise, the WDNR has identified current and past owners of the Rhinelander paper mill as responsible parties to the PFAS contamination in the town of Stella. Letters released from the WDNR to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) shared a wealth of information on this long-awaited designation.
Stated in the WPR article, DNR names paper companies responsible for PFAS contamination in a Wisconsin county - WPR the WDNR identified biosolids from the Rhinelander paper mill spread on agricultural fields in the town of Stella is the source of the PFAS contamination. This would be a good time to mention that WPR and local WXPR both valuable sources of local information such as this, have had all their federal funding cancelled several months back.
There is much information for the public to garner from WPR's article, but we at OCCWA would like to call your attention to excerpted language from the DNR in the article.
"The DNR has previously found contaminated wells in Stella have some of the highest PFAS levels in the country. More than one third of 241 private wells tested have PFAS levels greater than the state’s recommended health guidelines. Mimi Johnson, director of the DNR’s Office of Emerging Contaminants, said the agency has redirected its limited resources to provide temporary safe water to residents.
“With additional dedicated resources we could continue to provide residents the opportunity to disrupt their exposure through that temporary water, through technical support and funding of new well construction or existing well repairs, (and) installation of treatment systems,” Johnson said."
Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature set aside $125 million under the last two-year budget to address PFAS. However, the funds have yet to be released despite repeated requests from Evers. GOP lawmakers have voiced concerned that the money would be used as a “DNR slush fund.”
Please note WDNR Mimi Johnson's quotes of "limited resources" and "With additional dedicated resources we could continue". We at OCCWA have for the past year and a half, expressed frustration with the Governor and the Legislature failing to release the $125 million for private well owners PFAS relief. This battle continues today with no movement on Senate Bill 128 which would designate and provide a method to release the desperately needed funding. The main sticking point between the Governor and Legislature being the definition of a responsible party.
With the upcoming meeting in the town of Stella and questions we at OCCWA have submitted to the WDNR on the expanded testing in Oneida County we hope to have an article up on this website addressing PFAS contamination shortly. Until then we recommend reviewing the WPR article provided.
You might also consider visiting the EPA/Stella webpage Stella Township PFAS Contamination | US EPA
There you can find the complete site inspection link: https://semspub.epa.gov/work/05/2008130.pdf
Posted September 24, 2025- Oneida County Lakes and Rivers Association September Newsletter highlights.
OCLRA eNews for September 21, 2025
Meeting notice: Please share this information and the OCLRA website (www.oclra.org) with the members of your lake association, district and/or friends group and with your personal networks.
The next OCLRA Board meeting is Monday, October 13, at 9 a.m., at the ADRC building in Rhinelander, across the parking lot from Trig’s grocery. All are welcome.
OCLRA welcomes three new board members
At its September 8 meeting, the OCLRA board added three members: Gary Mastalish of the Three Lakes Waterfront Association, Mary Jung of Two Sisters Lake, and Cheryl Schultz of Great Bass Lake. The board also reappointed Ted Rulseh as president, Tom LaDue as vice president and treasurer, and Beckie Gaskill as secretary.
Wisconsin’s Green Fire sets Oneida County Lake Toolbox Workshop
Imagine that you could assess conditions that affect your lake, identify threats to water quality and habitat, and customize a “take action” plan—without a consultant and lake management plan. Wisconsin’s Green Fire is offering a free Northern Lakes Toolbox Workshops in Oneida County October 1 and 3, at Kemp Station north of Lake Tomahawk. Topics include basic lake ecology and management, where to find data on your lake, and how to identify action strategies that make a difference. For more information, contact Mike Meyer, MMeyer@WIgreenfire.org.
Minnesota Public Radio reports on issues with rock riprap
Lake property owners often place rock riprap as a way to prevent shorelines erosion. Research reported by Minnesota Public Radio shows that riprap has downsides for lakes that include warming the water, increasing nutrient runoff that feeds algae blooms, and sometimes altering wildlife habitat.
Follow OCLRA on Facebook
OCLRA invites lake association leaders to follow our Facebook page, which includes news of OCLRA activities and other items of interest to the lake community. It’s a good way for associations to connect with our education, collaboration and advocacy on behalf of the county’s waters. Visit https://www.facebook.com/people/OCLRA/100089436967560/.
Posted September 15, 2025- Town of Stella to hold informational public meeting on PFAS Contamination specific to town of Stella.
The meeting is expected to have representatives in attendance from the United States EPA, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and Oneida County Health Department to answer Stella residents' questions on PFAS contamination specific to Stella. The meeting has been organized and is presented by the town of Stella. The meeting will be held at the Stella Town Hall, 2496 County Hwy C, Rhinelander, WI 54501. We ask that all attendees respect the towns wishes as stated in the Town of Stella's informational release below.
Town of Stella PFAS meeting Informational release
A PFAS informational meeting will be held on October 1, 2025, at 5:30pm at the Stella Town Hall. This meeting will be to discuss drinking water and soil issues related to PFAS contamination. All Town of Stella residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to attend. If others from outside the Stella Community are interested in attending, they are welcome, but the focus will be on the community of Stella and the issues we face with PFAS in our drinking water and soils. Attendance will include the USEPA, WDNR, WDHS, and the Oneida County Health Dept. These agencies will be available to provide updates on PFAS issues related to drinking water, contaminated wells, health issues, soil contamination and cleanup, and various other PFAS related issues.
This meeting will focus on drinking water and soil. If you have question about the health advisories issued on September 4, 2025, there may be time at the end of the meeting, if the DHS and DNR staff are available to stay, for questions about this subject. There are no guarantees this will be possible and questions regarding these issues asked during the water and soil discussions will be deferred to the end of the Stella Community meeting.
If there are questions about the meeting and subjects to be discussed send emails to chair@townofstella.com.
Posted September 4, 2025- WDNR set new fish and deer consumption advisories for Town of Stella and surrounding water bodies.
Below is an excerpt from the WDNR's updated fish and deer consumption advisory released on September 4th.
"Fish Consumption Advisory
The DNR and DHS have issued a “Do Not Eat” PFAS-based consumption advisory for all fish species from the Moen Chain of Lakes (including Moen Lake, Second Lake, Third Lake, Fourth Lake, Fifth Lake), Sunset Lake, Starks Creek (upstream to and including Starks Spring) and Snowden Lake.
Fish were collected from the Moen Lake Chain and Snowden Lake in a sampling effort for contaminant monitoring. Results from these sampling efforts showed elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a type of PFAS, in the tissue of all fish sampled from these waterbodies.
Based on this and new consumption guidelines developed to reflect emerging science on PFOS, the DNR and DHS are recommending an updated advisory for the Moen Lake Chain and new advisories for Snowden Lake, Sunset Lake and Starks Creek upstream to Starks Spring.
Deer Consumption Advisory
The DNR and DHS have also issued new PFAS-based guidance for the consumption of deer harvested within a 5-mile radius of the Town of Stella's town hall. The new guidance for consuming muscle tissue from harvested deer in this area is one meal per month, and “Do Not Eat” for liver.
Due to the community's high interest in PFAS contamination near the Town of Stella, the DNR asked hunters within a 3-mile radius to donate muscle and liver samples from their harvests during the 2024 hunting season. A total of 11 deer were sampled, and the results were analyzed by the DNR and the DHS.
Testing showed elevated PFAS levels in the muscle (venison) of deer harvested from this area. Because of these findings, the DNR and DHS have issued a one-meal-per-month PFAS-based consumption advisory for deer muscle (venison) in a 5-mile radius around the Town of Stella's town hall.
Sampling results also showed significant PFAS levels in deer liver tissues. The liver filters chemicals from the blood, and some chemicals, like PFAS, can accumulate in the liver over time. These findings suggest that eating liver from deer in this area is likely to result in significant PFAS exposure. DHS and DNR recommend people not eat liver harvested from deer within the advisory area.
Following fish and wildlife consumption advisories will help protect you from consuming PFAS-contaminated tissue, which can cause the chemicals to accumulate in the body. A complete list of up-to-date fish consumption advisories can be found in the Choose Wisely booklet. More information on safe deer consumption can be found on the DNR’s Safely Eating Venison webpage."
More information may be found at: DNR And DHS Issue New PFAS-Based Consumption Advisories For Fish And Deer Near Town Of Stella And Surrounding Waterbodies In Oneida County | Wisconsin DNR
Also, you can visit: PFAS Contamination in the Town of Stella and Oneida County | | Wisconsin DNR
Posted September 2, 2025- In a promising development Wisconsin legislators look for compromise on funding for Knowles Nelson Program. This letter from Gathering Waters asks for public support through Take Action link.
Dear Friend of Conservation,
Yesterday, Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin and Rep. Vinnie Miresse introduced a new proposal to reauthorize Knowles-Nelson for six years, funded at $72 million annually. This proposed legislation is co-sponsored by all 60 Democratic lawmakers and lays the groundwork for compromise negotiations as the two parties seek ways to work together to reauthorize the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
You may recall that last week we described our two main concerns with the proposal put forth by Rep. Tony Kurtz and Sen. Testin. That proposal could sharply curtail land acquisition by instructing DNR to always prioritize land management grant applications over those seeking funds to acquire conservation lands. It would also require all grants more than $1 million to move through the legislature as a separate piece of legislation, which could create a new “pocket veto,” allowing legislators to kill conservation projects without debate or vote.
The legislation introduced Tuesday by Sen. Habush Sinykin and Rep. Miresse addresses both of these concerns.
First, their proposal creates separate funding streams for land acquisition and land management grants. This ensures both priorities receive dedicated support and allows the DNR to administer them separately. Comparing the purchase of a critical wetland vs restoring a prairie would be like comparing apples and oranges. This structure allows each type of project to be judged on its own merits.
Second, the bill proposes a “Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Board” to to provide oversight for the program. This 17-member body would bring together legislators from both parties, stakeholders, agency experts, and citizens to provide guidance and approve or deny grants exceeding $2.5 million.
For the details of their proposal, read the complete bill text and summary. And for a deeper dive into the politics of this process, see this Wisconsin Examiner article.
A Foundation for Compromise
We applaud the hard work of Senators Habush Sinykin and Testin and Representatives Kurtz and Miresse to lead their caucuses in the effort to craft a compromise that legislators and the Governor can all support. What now lies ahead is blending these proposals in a way that stays true to the soul of Knowles-Nelson while navigating the fraught terrain of split government.
Sen. Testin responded to the newly introduced legislation in a statement saying, “I am glad to see that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have an interest in reforming and reauthorizing the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. I look forward to reviewing the legislative proposal brought forward by my Democrat colleagues to see where we can work together and find common ground.”
The two proposals share a common commitment to furthering Wisconsin’s conservation legacy. Both recognize that Wisconsinites cherish our publicly accessible lands and want our state to be responsible stewards of our land and water for our kids and grandchildren.
Because the Senate is so closely divided – 18 Republican members and 15 Democratic members – bipartisanship will be essential. Should the Senate try to pass a partisan Knowles-Nelson reauthorization, the result could be a bill so weighed down with concessions to opponents of conservation that stakeholder groups would oppose it and the Governor would feel compelled to veto it. On the other hand, the proposal released this week by Sen. Habush Sinykin and Rep. Miresse clearly states what Democratic lawmakers are prioritizing when considering a Knowles-Nelson reauthorization.
We encourage legislators to use these two proposals as the foundation for good-faith, constructive conversations that ultimately fund Knowles-Nelson and make structural changes to the program that increase transparency and accountability, avoid partisan gridlock, and, most importantly, allow us to meet our most pressing conservation challenges.
What can you do?
It’s now time to get in touch with your legislators again and urge them to get to work crafting a Knowles-Nelson compromise that works for Wisconsin. Take action today and ask legislators to stay true to these priorities when negotiating a Stewardship reauthorization:
- Fund both land acquisition and land management.
- Create an oversight structure that: encourages constructive dialog; brings stakeholders, legislators, and agency professionals together; and that follows a clear, time-limited process for reviewing and voting on major grants.
- Supports our growing outdoor recreation economy by investing in the infrastructure we need to get out and enjoy all the places that make Wisconsin special.
Take Action – Knowles Nelson Stewardship
Charles Carlin
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts
Posted August 26, 2025- Lakes at Stake shares results from Protect Lake Beulah's independent wake boat research including shocking video.
The information below is shared directly from Lakes at Stake August 25th newsletter. The organization Protect Lake Beulah's recent independent research provided shocking video of wave boat effects on their lake. Lake Beulah is located in the town of East Troy in Walworth County WI.
Lake Beulah Study Presentation
This past Saturday, the Protect Lake Beulah organization (“PLB”) held a symposium where they presented a number of findings from their independent wake boat research conducted on Lake Beulah over the past few months.
The Lake Beulah Management District in keeping with their responsibilities to protect the lake wanted to know the impact of wakesurfing on Beulah. To that end, they retained the environmental engineering firm Terra Vigilis to conduct in-water testing over the course of the summer.
The summary findings from Terra Vigilis are linked here. These findings were presented at the symposium in addition to other presentations from PLB.
Primary takeaways:
- A wakeboat in surf mode can disturb the bottom down to depths of 25 feet (the deepest depth tested.) The results were consistent with the Minnesota Phase II Study.
- A team of divers were utilized, and two of the divers spoke at this forum. Both have the Divemaster certification, including one who was a local fire department rescue diver.
- The divers noted that in one of the test situations, at 24-foot depths, they experienced a “silt-out” event after the wakeboat passed over the top of them. The downward waves and propwash blasted up the bottom silt, causing the divers to lose all visibility and requiring them to surface.
- Both divers said they were surprised as to how significant the underwater turbulence brought on by a wakesurf pass was, even at depths of 20-25 feet. They noted that they would get lifted up and pushed down in the underwater churn. They did not experience any of these effects when being underneath numerous test boats, including pontoons, jet boats and I/O’s.
- Aquatic vegetation does get uprooted with taller weeds torn off or uprooted, even at depth.
- The PLB team presented Livescope images of a variety of boats passing by the sonar and only the wakeboat in wakesurf mode caused water disturbances clearly visible on the scope down to depths of 20 feet.
One of the most striking images of the event was provided by the video link Lake Beulah Wakeboat Testing on July 23, 2025 - Wakeboat at 200 feet from shore - YouTube filmed by the Terra Vigilis researchers, showing what wakesurfing waves look like from a wakesurf boat passing by 200 feet from shore.Watch the docked fishing boat and shoreline get rocked! This is an all-too familiar scene for many riparian owners.
These wakeboat waves are NOT ‘more or less similar’ than other boat and watercraft waves at 200 feet from shore as wakeboat industry spokespeople often claim.
The video link Lake Beulah Wakeboat Testing - July 23, 2025 - Four Quadrant View at 200 feet from shore is a four-quadrant view that compares the wakesurf boat with three other non-wake surf boats for comparison. Give it a watch and focus on the fishing boat tied to the dock and also the shoreline in all four panels.
Finally, watch the video link Lake Beulah Wakeboat Testing - July 23, 2025 - Wakeboat at 500 feet versus other boats at 200 feet the wakeboat is in surf mode 500 feet from shore. You’ll see the wakesurf boat waves are still more powerful than the other three boats only 200 feet from shore.
The majority of the Lake Beulah testing was conducted on July 23, 2025, in the presence of members of the public, two Town of East Troy board members (including the chairman) and a member of the media.
As a reminder, the Town of East Troy voters at their annual town meeting on April 15, 2025 voted overwhelmingly to prohibit wakesurfing on lakes in the Town, including Lake Beulah. This was an advisory vote only. To date no wakesurf ordinance has been discussed or enacted.
Posted July 30, 2025- Last Wilderness shares news on the latest Wave Boat study.
The highly anticipated study on the impact of wake surfing on lakebeds has been released! This groundbreaking research is a significant step forward in understanding how wake surfing affects the environmental health of our lakes.
Ten feet is not enough!
University of Minnesota Study Confirms Wake Surfing's Impact on Lakebeds
For too long, the wake surfing industry has claimed there's no lakebed impact if surfing occurs in depths of at least 10 feet. However, this new study definitively shows profound sediment disturbance even in much deeper water.
The study specifically recommends:
"It is recommended that wakeboats operate in 20 ft of water or greater when in surfing mode to minimize impacts on the lake bottom."
You can find the study summary HERE.
FAQ's (four pages) about the study HERE.
This research provides crucial scientific backing for the growing movement to regulate wake surfing.
The number of Wisconsin towns with wake surfing ordinances has now reached 59, with 25 of those enacted just since January 1st of this year! The Last Wilderness Alliance is proud to have assisted in the majority of these successful efforts.
We remain committed to educating the public and supporting regulations that
protect Wisconsin's lakes for everyone, especially the 98% of lake users who
do not wake surf.
Your continued support is vital to our work, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to preserving our precious waterways.
To read the Full Study, click HERE.
Here are Videos and the Data Set: DATA
Visit and support Last Wilderness Alliance at: Last Wilderness Alliance
Posted July 1, 2025- DNR releases latest PFAS well testing results for Stella and expands free well testing to Pine Lake, Pelican, Newbold, Crescent, and Sugar Camp.
Stella Updated Well Testing
As of June 20, 2025, the DNR has received PFAS results for 241 private wells in the vicinity of the Town of Stella. Of the 241 wells sampled for PFAS:
- 88 private wells have reported concentrations of PFAS greater than DHS' recommended health guidelines.
- 39 private wells have reported detections for PFAS but are less than the DHS' recommended health guidelines.
- 114 private wells have no reported detections for PFAS.
Here is the 6/2025 updated link map of PFAS sampling results [PDF] for private wells in the Town of Stella/Starks.
Expanded Testing to Pine Lake, Newbold, Crescent, Pelican, and Sugar Camp
As an expansion of a previous private well sampling project in the Town of Stella, the DNR and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are offering free PFAS sampling in private wells to some communities within Oneida County. The cost-free sampling is available to full-time and seasonal residents who receive a letter of eligibility from the DNR. This sampling is offered to a targeted number of private drinking water wells in four general locations around Oneida County in the townships of Crescent, Newbold, Pelican, Sugar Camp and Pine Lake. Those who choose to participate in this sampling effort will receive their private well's sample results and any recommendations from the DNR.
This project will begin in July 2025 and will likely run through December 2025. Eligibility letters will be sent to homeowners in batches to accommodate laboratory capacity. Therefore, not all residences will receive notification of sampling availability at the same time. Well owners can submit questions to DNRDGOneidaCountyPFAS@wisconsin.gov or 888-626-0605.
More information may be found at the DNR/Stella webpage PFAS Contamination in the Town of Stella and Oneida County | | Wisconsin DNR
WXPR coverage Wisconsin DNR expands private well PFAS testing to five Oneida County townships | WXPR
