Defender
Summer 2015 join us:
For too long, families and children in Southeastern Wisconsin have been unable to safely drink the water that runs from their faucets. In May, we started a new project looking deeper into the problem. In this next step to the work we started in 2014, we are teaming up with leading researchers from Duke University and Ohio State University to collect more detailed information about the groundwater in the area. We hope that this project will give us a better understanding of what’s making the water undrinkable.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF
DIGGING DEEPER Topnotch researchers, Clean Wisconsin continue work to uncover source of SE Wisconsin’s drinking water contamination
By Paul Mathewson, Tyson Cook & Amanda Wegner
In our November 2014 report, Don’t Drink the Water, we showed the extent of unsafe levels of molybdenum in the area’s groundwater. In reviewing test results from nearly 1,000 private drinking wells in four counties, we found that half had molybdenum levels exceeding the DNR’s groundwater enforcement standard, and one in five wells exceeded the state’s current interim health advisory limit. Excess molybdenum has been shown to cause reproductive and developmental problems in animals. At high levels, it may cause a gout-like disease in people. And recent research indicates that even lower levels of exposure may impact child deveopment and men’s reproductive health by reducing testosterone levels and sperm quality. The molybdenum levels we found in Southeastern Wisconsin groundwater were much higher than what other studies throughout North America have found, causing schools and homeowners in the area to install expensive filtration devices or to rely on bottled water. Our report brought continued on page 5
2015 BUDGET BILL RECAP Environmental protections take a hit
Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300 Madison, WI 53703-2500
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By Amber Meyer Smith, Director of Programs & Government Relations
On July 12, Governor Walker signed the biennial budget bill into law. The budget bill is the most comprehensive and sweeping bill passed during every legislative session, and it impacts every facet of state government. It is the only bill that must be signed into law every session. This budget’s impact on natural resources issues is vast. Clean Wisconsin monitored and evaluated all environmental policies in the budget, working with environmental partner groups, members and legislators to make changes or offer support on certain items. We were able to help mitigate several of the most egregious cuts that were first proposed in this budget process, and had some victories. For instance, partially restoring important natural resource programs like Stewardship and county conservation staff were significant victories forged by deep partnerships and investments by many environmental and conservation groups. While there were many other issues we
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Waukesha Action | Scenes from Cento & Sail Loft
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