University of Wisconsin–Madison

Study Findings

Private Well Water Resources

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"Test Your Private Well Annually" Factsheet Bacteria Test once a year Test any time the well is modified Test any time there is a change in smell, taste, or color Nitrate Test once a year Test before a pregnant person or infant drinks the water Test when a new well is installed Test yearly if arsenic was previously detected Test at least once every 5 years Arsenic WHAT SHOULD I TEST FOR? WHY SHOULD I TEST MY WELL? Private-well owners are responsible for regularly testing and maintaining their well. Unwanted substances known as contaminants can get into private well water. Contaminants in your drinking water may lead to health problems. This makes private well testing important for better health. Testing is often not required but is encouraged because many contaminants may not cause any change in your water’s taste, color, or smell. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends these tests for common contaminants that can be harmful to human health: Additional tests may be recommended for your situation. Please see go.wisc.edu/water-testing for more information.
back of well water factsheet General Questions? Contact your local health department, or the testing agency you used. Learn About Health Concerns Contact: Wisconsin Dept of Health Services (608) 266-1120 dhsEnvHealth@wi.gov https://go.wisc.edu/dhs-private-wells Find more information on filtration and other household water treatment systems at: https://go.wisc.edu/mitigation-strategies Find a water treatment device for your needs on the National Science Foundation's Website: https://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/ Learn About Mitigation Strategies If your tests indicated a problem, you may need to contact a well driller or pump installer. Find a list of contacts by county here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Wells/contacts.html Schedule Well Repairs FOR ALL WEBSITE LINKS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://go.wisc.edu/private-wells WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF CONTAMINANTS?

Find your county-specific resource sheet.

Who provides private-well water testing?

Certified Water Testing Labs in Wisconsin

Findings from the City of Milwaukee

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Sense of community in MKE What do SHOW participants have to say about Community? We asked SHOW participants in our 2018- 2019 City of Milwaukee survey how they felt about their neighborhoods. Here's what they told us: Graphs show responses to" "I belong in my neighborhood" - 42% agree, 33% neutral, 26% disagree "My neighborhood fulfills my needs" - 31% agree, 33% neutral, 36% disagree Findings link sense of community to safety SHOW Participants in the City of Milwaukee who reported a stronger sense of community also reported stronger feelings of safety from neighborhood crime and traffic. Why this matters: Data like this can inform effective community organizing and neighborhood improvement projects that benefit everyone.
Chronic Health Conditions and Quality of Life 48% of participants from SHOW's City of Milwaukee survey have 1 or more chronic disease Asthma and diabetes were the most commonly reported chronic conditions The majority of individuals with chronic disease said their condition impacted their quality of life 2 of 3 individuals with chronic conditions found daily tasks to be challenging Body composition and weight did not impact quality of life of participants Living with chronic disease can be challenging, and it can impact our day-to-day lives in many ways. Access to care, community support and help from friends and family can reduce the burden of living with chronic conditions.
Access to Nature in MKE Factsheet Research tells us that access to nature and green space improves both physical and mental health. Based on our 2018-2019 survey of participants of the City of Milwaukee, SHOW data support this finding. According to SHOW data collected in Milwaukee in 2019, living within a 10-minute walk of a park or trail was associated with a higher quality of life. Higher quality of life among those living near parks did not come from differences in physical activity. Meaning that access to green space may positively impact health. 72% of SHOW participants in the City of Milwaukee reported living within a 10-minute walk of a park; which is higher than the statewide average of 60%.
Inflammation and Diet Factsheet Chronic disease can be caused by inflammation What is inflammation? - Inflammation is a person's body working hard to fight a "threat": infections, stress and other things in the environment - Inflammation is good when in control - Too much inflammation can lead to health issues - Diet can be a source of inflammation Limiting inflammation through diet 1. Limit sugar intake According to the USDA Dietary guidelines individuals should eat less than 12 grams of sugar a day. 2. Eat more fruits and vegetables According to the USDA Dietary guidelines individuals should eat 3-5 servings of fruits and veggies each day. 2 of 3 show participants say they meet USDA sugar guidelines Only 7% of SHOW participants eat the recommended 3+ servings of fruits and veggies each day (national average is 10%)
Milwaukee Survey (2018-2019) Factsheet Over 500 Milwaukee city residents took our survey. Who took part in the survey? Race/Ethnicity (self-reported): White 6%, Black 66%, Hispanic 24%, Other 4% Gender (self-reported): 62% Female, 38% Male An image shows participation by zip code. How old are participants: 18-40 37.3%, 41-65 49.1%, 65+ 13.5% What is participants' education level: 31% Less than high school, 27% high school grad, 42% some college or more
Alzheimer's risk factors Factsheet Data from 1,312 SHOW participants from Milwaukee (2014-2019) GENETICS 26% said they have a family member with Alzheimer’s BLOOD PRESSURE 42% said they had been diagnosed with hypertension EXERCISE 32% aren't reaching their recommended levels of physical activity Regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by about 28% Make sure you talk to your doctor if you have family history of Alzheimer’s Racial/ethnic risk factors According to the Alzheimer’s Association, African Americans and Hispanics have up to 2x higher likelihood of having Alzheimer’s and other dementias than Non-Hispanic White Americans.

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