Water Quality

General Information

Since about 70 percent of Wisconsin’s residents use groundwater as their source of drinking water, it is vital that we do everything possible to maintain safe drinking water.

One goal of the department is to protect Wisconsin’s environmental resources from pesticide and fertilizer contamination through the various programs it administers. The department implements programs to keep pesticides and fertilizer from reaching the environment and also monitors for pesticides and fertilizers in both groundwater and surface water. The department also conducts and oversees environmental investigations in situations where pesticides and fertilizers may impact the environment from handling and use.