Arsenic levels in well water used for drinking is a major problem for many homeowners in Wisconsin, particularly for those living in the northeast part of the state where groundwater often intersects arsenic laden mineral deposits.

This project was designed to investigate the extent and source of radium contamination in the Cambro-Ordovician aquifer system of eastern Wisconsin.

The Maquoketa Formation, a dolomitic shale, forms the most important aquitard in eastern Wisconsin, USA, isolating the water-table and Silurian aquifers from the underlying Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer.

Carbonate aquifers form important regional sources of drinking water in eastern and southern Wisconsin. Previous work in Door County suggests that vertical fractures as well as horizontal partings and dissolution zones provide the primary pathways for groundwater flow

Inorganic arsenic is a well-known human poison that causes a wide array of adverse health effects. The World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classify inorganic arsenic as a human carcinogen.

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) are among the groundwater contaminants of greatest concern because of their toxicity, their solubility in water, and their resistance to degradation in anaerobic environments.