Wisconsin DNR, University Of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension And College Of Agriculture And Life Sciences Announces Nitrate Webinar Series wisconsin.gov - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wisconsin.gov Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The No. 1 factor for acute gastrointestinal illness in Kewaunee County’s private drinking water wells is cow manure, according to a federal study released today. The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of existing regulations aimed at protecting residents from tainted drinking water.
The study predicts that cow manure causes 230 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses in the county per year, out of 301 total cases of sickness with an additional 12 cases caused by human waste from septic systems. The contaminant is unknown for the other instances, the authors wrote.
Symptoms of gastrointestinal illness can include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, sometimes accompanied by fever. Children, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions can be more vulnerable to complications such as dehydration.
Cow manure predicted to cause most sickness from contaminated wells in Kewaunee County channel3000.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from channel3000.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Geologists have been testing drones in northeastern Wisconsin as a way to pinpoint shallow soils in areas sensitive to groundwater contamination. The method of measuring soil depths may be beneficial for state regulators, county conservationists and farmers who are working to implement new restrictions on manure spreading in the region.
Studies in northeastern Wisconsin have shown private wells are susceptible to groundwater contamination from nitrates and other bacteria due to thin soil in areas with fractured bedrock.
The findings prompted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to impose restrictions on manure spreading across 15 counties two years ago. Those standards limit how much manure farms can spread based on the depth of a field s topsoil. Producers are barred from spreading manure on fields with less than two feet of topsoil.