From The Section
Welcome to the Winter 2024 issue of News Bits. This newsletter contains important updates regarding staffing, code revisions, well compensation and licensing exams.
Staff Update: Frank Fetter Retires
Frank Fetter retired on Feb. 2, 2024, after more than 20 years of state service, including five years as the Private Water Policy Coordinator in Private Water. Frank looks forward to more time for travel, hunting, and fishing. We will miss Frank and wish him well in his retirement!
A new policy coordinator will be hired later this year. In the meantime, any questions about code requirements can go to your regional private water supply specialist. For questions about the next NR 812 code revision, contact Marty Nessman at Martin.Nessman@wisconsin.gov or 608-574-2592.
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Recent Phishing Attempt Targeting Licensed Well Drillers And Pump Installers
DNR Private Water Supply has received reports of an attempt to get information from licensed well drillers and pump installers using a fake email that claims to be from the DNR. Please do not respond to the email or click on any links. It should be deleted immediately. It is not from the DNR despite the official-seeming content; see below for examples.
 
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Well Grants Update
Since the ARPA Well Grant program started in Oct. 2022, the DNR has received over 600 applications and provided over 300 well compensation and 150 well filling and sealing grants for more than $6.6 million. We estimate awarding all the funds within the next two months. Thank you to all the well drillers and pump installers who have provided bids and helped well owners through the application process. The incredible response to the program and the improvement in drinking water quality for the hundreds of well owners throughout the state are direct results of your work and willingness to use the program.
The DNR will continue accepting applications and issuing grant awards until all funding expends. Application materials are available on our web pages:
Questions about the program can be sent to DNRARPAWellGrants@wisconsin.gov.
The DNR has an email list that receives updates about the program. Sign up to receive emails. Under the “Grants and Loans” category, check the box next to “ARPA Well Grant.”
New Grant Program For Non-community Public Water Systems
The 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided funds to assist public water systems in small or disadvantaged communities address emerging contaminants. This program is called the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities. The DNR received grant funds from the EPA and designated $4,000,000 to provide financial assistance to Other-Than-Municipal Communities (OTMs) and Nonprofit Non-Transient Non-Community (NN) public water systems serving small or disadvantaged communities. This program focuses on PFAS and manganese as emerging contaminants.
What Are OTMs?
Other-Than-Municipal Community public water systems are not owned by a government or municipality and serve groups of 25 or more year-round residents. OTMs can include mobile home parks, apartment buildings, and condominium associations not on city or municipal water.
What Are Nonprofit NNs?
Non-Transient Non-Community public water systems are nonresidential and regularly serve groups of at least 25 of the same people over six months of the year. NNs can include schools and daycare centers, not on city or municipal water. A nonprofit NN is a government entity or an organization that is described under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, which does not lobby.
Application materials and other eligibility information can be found on the EC-SDC Grant Program webpage.
RR Contamination Site Approval Update
A legal opinion on NR 812.09(4)(w) clarified that DNR approval is needed for impacted source properties and off-site properties.
DNR approval is required prior to the construction, reconstruction or replacement of wells on properties identified as having contamination – this includes both impacted source properties and any off-site properties. To make this change easy to navigate, the Well Driller Viewer was updated to include layers identifying source properties and the off-site properties they’ve impacted.
The traditional blue (open) and green (closed) circles will continue to identify source properties. A gray halo indicates source properties with continuing obligations; these properties have ongoing responsibilities or requirements. A yellow box will identify source properties that have impacted another property or right-of-way. Light blue boxes indicate properties that have been affected by a nearby source property.
Prior DNR approval is required for any drilling activities on sites identified as:
- open sites
- closed sites with continuing obligations or that have affected another property or right-of-way
- properties affected by contamination from another property.
Consult a DNR private water supply specialist to determine approval needs for drilling activities on these properties as prior DNR approval may be required.
A factsheet is being developed to aid licensees in navigating approval requirements relating to contamination sites.
Advisory Committee Begins Addressing Potential NR 146/NR 812 Revisions
On Dec. 19, 2023, an advisory committee met in Stevens Point to discuss potential revisions of NR 146 and NR 812. The advisory committee, comprised of licensed pump installers and well drillers, was formed to develop suggested changes to the current administrative codes governing licensing, well drilling and pump installing.
NR 146, which regulates the licensing of well and heat exchange drillers, pump installers, well drilling rig operators and their associated businesses, has not been revised since 2016.
NR 812, regulating well and heat exchange drilling and well pump installation, has been revised several times since 2014. Recent revisions have not addressed Subchapter III on pump installation. The NR 812 revisions will primarily focus on Subchapter III but will also address other items, including using bentonite chips as an annular space seal and casing size of existing installations.
More information is available on the DNR’s NR 146/NR 812 Rule Revision Advisory Committee webpage.
DNR License Exam Update – Computer-Based Exam Services Ending Feb. 28, 2024
In 2021, the DNR’s Operator Certification program entered into a 3-year contract with PSI, a state licensing exam provider, to develop and administer a computer-based exam platform. This decision was driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, a growing need for remote proctored exams and a desire to reduce the amount of DNR staff time devoted to exam administration.
PSI’s computer-based platform fell short of expectations, with reports of problems in scheduling and launching exams. Failure by PSI to provide key deliverables also increased the workload for DNR staff, who had to process exam results data manually. As a result, the contract with PSI will expire on Feb. 28 and not be renewed. The DNR will resume full administration of in-person proctored exams starting in March 2024.
Applications for computer-based exams will no longer be accepted. An applicant who has submitted an application and fees for computer-based exams but has yet to schedule an exam date will be granted credit and asked to submit the new DNR exam application for an in-person session. The exam application and more information about the switch from computer-based to in-person proctored exams can be found on the DNRs Operator Certification Exam webpage. Water Well Driller and Heat Exchange Driller exam applications are available by email request at DNRDGLicensing@wiscosin.gov.
Continuing Education Attendance Status Portal Update
A new Private Water Driller/Pump Installer Lookup Portal will replace the Continuing Education Status Portal used by well drillers and pump installers to view the current calendar year and three-year attendance history. The new portal will mirror the Certified Water and Waste Water Treatment Operator Lookup Portal currently used by Operator Certification.
License status and training attendance history will be provided as a PDF report when a driller or pump installer license number is entered into the portal. The report will list the current calendar year attendance and future attendance. 2023 attendance will no longer be accessible online but is available by email request to DNRDGContinuingEducation@wisconsin.gov.
Continuing Education Calendar Update
The Operator Certification Event Calendar with approved 2024 in-person training events for driller and pump installer continuing education credit is available for viewing. Approved training can be searched from this calendar by license type, sponsor (or provider), location or date. Work is in progress on a Driller/Pump Installer Event Calendar, which will provide the same search parameters as the Operator Certification Calendar but will be dedicated to in-person Private Water continuing education approved for driller and pump installer credit.
Approved on-demand continuing education will continue to be posted to the Driller/Pump Installer Continuing Education webpage. On-demand training approved for 2024 is available on the Approved Online Driller/Pump Installer Training webpage.
Updated Forms And New Factsheets Available, With More On The Way
A new Factsheet for Hand Pumps (DG-103) has recently become available.
In addition, two existing forms have been updated. The application for Chlorination (Form 3300-202) and the Well Approval Application for Continuing Obligations/Residual Contamination (Form 3300-254).
Be on the lookout for additional updated forms, new factsheets and publications. Updated forms for variances and property transfer well and pressure system inspection forms should be available soon. Please use the existing forms in the meantime.
New factsheets for disinfection, continuing obligations, and residual and known contamination are nearing completion and should be available on the DNR website soon.
Finally, the publication “Bacteriological Contamination of Drinking Water Wells” (Publication DG-003) is being rewritten, and a new publication containing procedures for disinfecting wells is in the final stages of development. Both will be available soon.
Important Test Well Reminder
In most situations, prior DNR approval is not required for high capacity test wells or heat exchange test drillholes, but there are exceptions.
Test wells require prior DNR approval when installed:
On a remediation site (see RR Contamination Site Approval Update above)
- Within 1,200 feet of a landfill
Test heat exchange drillholes require prior DNR approval when installed:
On a remediation site (see Off-Site Approval Update above)
- On a property with an open or closed waste disposal site
Consult a DNR private water supply specialist to determine approval needs for drilling activities on properties near an open site, as prior DNR approval may be required.
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