Culture-based microbiology methods have been used to determine potability of drinking water since the beginning of the 20th century. The detection of coliform bacteria in well water is an indicator of potential human fecal contamination and therefore the possible presence of disease causing organisms.

This report summarizes 2009-2011 efforts to gather data and continue information support for groundwater management in the Wisconsin central sands.

Individual qPCR assays for bovine adenovirus and porcine adenovirus targets were adapted from assays published in the literature for use with TaqMan chemistry on the ABI 7500 platform.

Ninety eight groundwater samples from water utilities from around the state of Wisconsin were analyzed for uranium activity (U-234, U-235, and U-238), thorium activity (Th-228, Th-230, Th-232), radium activity (Ra-226 and Ra-228), polonium-210 activity (Po-210)

Increased concerns about groundwater resources in Wisconsin have brought about the need for better understanding of the subsurface geologic structure that lead to developing conceptual hydrogeologic models for numerical simulation of groundwater flow.

Continuation of DNR-165, no report submitted (WDNR communications, 2010). Summary report linked below covers both projects. See DNR-165 for more information.