Well Water Nerd

Well water in Burnett County, Wisconsin

In Burnett County, 14% of 64 private wells tested between 2000 and 2025 had total coliform above the Wisconsin limit (any detection), according to the UWSP Well Water Quality Viewer.

1,860 private wells tested 2000 to 2024 in state summaries; 2 individual samples from 2 wells, 1946 to 1993. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.

What homeowner tests found

Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer samples: private wells tested and reported to the state, 2000 to 2024. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA. County and state figures combine the town summaries, weighted by wells tested; medians are not combined.

ContaminantWells testedAbove state levelMedian95th pctHighestState level
Iron28121%34,160300 ug/L
Total coliform6414%
Manganese30413%4,507300 ug/L
Sodium2804%16820 mg/L
Lead3042%7415 ug/L
Nitrate1,8601%4610 mg/L
Chloride340<1%291250 mg/L
Arsenic518<1%11.210 ug/L
Copper3040%0.4081.3 mg/L
E. coli90%

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What this means

Among homeowners in Burnett County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were total coliform (14% of 64 wells), lead (2% of 304 wells), and nitrate (1% of 1,860 wells). These are ordinary wells tested by their owners, so the shares are the best available picture of a typical well here, with one caveat: people test more often when they suspect a problem.

Iron and manganese exceed the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; these are mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.

What to test for in Burnett County

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)35 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • Iron21% of 281 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.
  • Total coliform14% of 64 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin limit (any detection).
  • Manganese13% of 304 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Sodium4% of 280 local wells tested were above the EPA advisory level.
  • Lead2% of 304 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Nitrate1% of 1,860 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Chloride<1% of 340 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.
  • Arsenic<1% of 518 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.

Contamination sources on record in Burnett County

Wisconsin DNR records 35 leaking underground storage tank sites in Burnett County, among 146 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.

35
leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
30
lined landfills and transfer facilities
81
other remediation projects

Treatment that fits the local profile

Total coliform
Inspect and repair the well cap and casing, then shock chlorinate and retest; UV disinfection whole-house; Chlorination system
Iron
Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Manganese
Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis
Copper
Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis

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Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Burnett County?

Arsenic was detected in 0% of 1 public well samples in Burnett County, and 0% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.

How high is radon in well water in Burnett County?

The median radon level across 2 public samples in Burnett County was 525 pCi/L, with a high of 530 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Burnett County?

Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.

Towns in Burnett County

6 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Burnett County totals above rather than shown separately: Blaine, Grantsburg village, Roosevelt, Siren village, Webster village, West Marshland.

Sources

  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 10 samples in Burnett County. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
  • Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer samples: summaries for 10 contaminants in Burnett County, up to 1,860 wells each. Private well samples compiled by the UWSP Center for Watershed Science and Education from the DNR Groundwater Retrieval Network, DATCP surveys, the UWSP Water and Environmental Analysis Lab and county health programs, published in the Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer with Wisconsin DHS. Samples are located to the town, village or city they fall in; one result per well and parameter (the latest) so repeat samples do not double count; wells without a state well number are keyed by location. Shares are against Wisconsin NR 140 enforcement standards (arsenic 10 ug/L, nitrate 10 mg/L as N, manganese 300 ug/L, lead 15 ug/L, copper 1.3 mg/L) and the iron and chloride secondary levels. Many samples were submitted by homeowners with a reason to test, so shares can run above a random survey. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  • Wisconsin DNR regulated sites: 146 regulated sites located in Burnett County. Open and closed remediation activities (BRRTS, including leaking underground storage tanks and spills) and landfill and waste sites from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 9, 2026.

Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.