Well Water Nerd

Well water in Chippewa County, Wisconsin

In Chippewa County, 12% of 2,684 private wells tested between 1988 and 2026 had nitrate above the Wisconsin enforcement standard (10 mg/L), according to the UWSP Well Water Quality Viewer.

2,684 private wells tested 2009 to 2025 in state summaries; 2 individual samples from 2 wells, 1961 to 2013. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.

What homeowner tests found

Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer samples: private wells tested and reported to the state, 2009 to 2025. 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
Iron51614%22,087300 ug/L
Nitrate2,68412%34.910 mg/L
Manganese54510%7,170300 ug/L
Total coliform368%
Sodium5195%12420 mg/L
Lead5454%78915 ug/L
Copper5451%9.651.3 mg/L
Chloride700<1%451250 mg/L
Arsenic6610%810 ug/L
E. coli30%

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What this means

Among homeowners in Chippewa County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were nitrate (12% of 2,684 wells), total coliform (8% of 36 wells), and lead (4% of 545 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 Chippewa County

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)86 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
  • Iron14% of 516 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.
  • Nitrate12% of 2,684 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Manganese10% of 545 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Total coliform8% of 36 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin limit (any detection).
  • Sodium5% of 519 local wells tested were above the EPA advisory level.
  • Lead4% of 545 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Copper1% of 545 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
  • Chloride<1% of 700 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.

Contamination sources on record in Chippewa County

Wisconsin DNR records 86 leaking underground storage tank sites in Chippewa County, among 398 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.

86
leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
37
lined landfills and transfer facilities
275
other remediation projects

Treatment that fits the local profile

Nitrate
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Anion exchange; Distillation
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
Fluoride
Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Activated alumina; Distillation

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Common questions

Is there arsenic in well water in Chippewa County?

Arsenic was detected in 100% of 2 public well samples in Chippewa 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 Chippewa County?

The median radon level across 1 public samples in Chippewa County was 219 pCi/L, with a high of 219 pCi/L. New Hampshire recommends treatment above 2,000 pCi/L.

How often should I test a private well in Chippewa 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 Chippewa County

10 towns have fewer than 30 public samples and are included in the Chippewa County totals above rather than shown separately: Bloomer, Boyd village, Cadott village, Chippewa Falls, Cornell, Eau Claire, Estella, Hallie, New Auburn village, Stanley.

Sources

  • USGS Water Quality Portal: 9 samples in Chippewa 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 Chippewa County, up to 2,684 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: 398 regulated sites located in Chippewa 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.