Well water in Excelsior, Wisconsin
In Excelsior, 20% of 157 private wells tested between 1990 and 2025 had nitrate above the Wisconsin enforcement standard (10 mg/L), according to the UWSP Well Water Quality Viewer.
157 private wells tested 1990 to 2025 in state summaries. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.
What homeowner tests found
Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer samples: private wells tested and reported to the state, 1990 to 2025. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.
| Contaminant | Wells tested | Above state level | Median | 95th pct | Highest | State level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 157 | 20% | 4.39 | 15.8 | 94.4 | 10 mg/L | |
| Sodium | 25 | 12% | 2.9 | 45.3 | 152 | 20 mg/L | |
| Total coliform | 41 | 10% | |||||
| Copper | 32 | 9% | 0.085 | 1.96 | 2.21 | 1.3 mg/L | |
| Manganese | 31 | 6% | 0 | 494 | 1,131 | 300 ug/L | |
| Lead | 31 | 6% | 0 | 23 | 84 | 15 ug/L | |
| Iron | 26 | 4% | 0 | 109 | 391 | 300 ug/L | |
| Chloride | 50 | 2% | 8.4 | 45.4 | 300 | 250 mg/L | |
| Arsenic | 43 | 0% | 0 | 1.12 | 6.39 | 10 ug/L | |
| E. coli | 4 | 0% |
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What this means
Among homeowners in Excelsior who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were nitrate (20% of 157 wells), total coliform (10% of 41 wells), and copper (9% of 32 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.
Sodium exceeds the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; this is mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.
What to test for in Excelsior
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)2 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- Nitrate20% of 157 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
- Sodium12% of 25 local wells tested were above the EPA advisory level.
- Total coliform10% of 41 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin limit (any detection).
- Copper9% of 32 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
- Manganese6% of 31 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
- Lead6% of 31 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin enforcement standard.
- Iron4% of 26 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.
- Chloride2% of 50 local wells tested were above the Wisconsin nuisance level.
Contamination sources on record in Excelsior
Wisconsin DNR records 2 leaking underground storage tank sites in Excelsior, among 7 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.
- 2
- leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.
- 4
- lined landfills and transfer facilities
- 1
- other remediation project
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
- Copper
- Neutralizing filter to raise pH; Point-of-use reverse osmosis
- Lead
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Certified lead-removal carbon filter; Neutralizing filter to raise pH and stop leaching
- Sodium
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
Get your Excelsior water tested at home
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Common questions
How often should I test a private well in Excelsior?
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.
Sources
- Wisconsin Well Water Quality Viewer samples: summaries for 10 contaminants in Excelsior, up to 157 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: 7 regulated sites located in Excelsior. 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.