Water, water everywhere… and not a drop to drink!
While many people around the country were celebrating Labor Day weekend with barbecues, beach visits, or just a little extra rest, residents in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, were under a do-not-drink order after the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) detected unsafe levels of nitrites in the water system.
The popular vacation spot near Lake Geneva has almost 3,000 residents that are now relying on daily bottled water distribution, as village officials work to address the problem.
Water Crisis = Health Crisis
Like many water crises, the issue was discovered because of a health problem. Water testing happened after two children were diagnosed with infant methemoglobinemia also known as “blue baby syndrome,” when a baby’s skin turns blue due to lack of oxygen, often linked to water contaminated with high levels of nitrites.
Village President Adam Jaramillo told FOX6 News Milwaukee that crews are flushing the system with chlorine in an effort to clear the contamination.
“In order to treat the nitrite in the water, our engineers are putting a lot of chlorine and free chlorine into the system. Residents are going to be able to smell that and sense that,” he said.
The order remains in effect until further notice. Village officials said chlorination of water service lines is currently underway to address the contamination and residents have been encouraged to flush all water lines in their homes to help circulate the chlorine treatment and remove nitrites from the system.
More Nitrites, More Problems
Steve Elmore, director of the drinking water and groundwater program at the DNR, told local news that the high levels of nitrite were being created in the distribution system, which is something that can go undetected.
Now, that’s a little tidbit of info that gives me some pause.
Here’s why: It’s a known fact in the water treatment biz that public water systems using chloramine as the primary disinfectant should monitor all parts of the distribution system and water storage facilities on a routine basis to check for signs of nitrification.
Various conditions can promote nitrification including higher water temperatures, excessive levels of free ammonia in the finished water, low water usage conditions, and more.
Williams Bay has two disinfection byproducts listed in their annual water report. Now, they are within the legal limits but both haloacetic acids (HAA5) and trihalomethanes were detected. And I’m guessing this water system is having trouble finding the right balance of chlorine to keep the water clean. And maybe adding ammonia to the water to help keep their disinfection byproducts at bay?
As I wrote in an open letter to the Tyler, Texas, city council in 2015 when they were having consistent water problems:
The problem in Tyler, Texas, is you are misusing chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) in your treatment process to control the formation of regulated disinfection byproducts. This misuse has led to the ultimate destruction of your distribution system.
In 2014, you performed a one-month distribution system chlorine burnout. This year you were faced with a two-month system-wide burnout (August and September).
Your water distribution system is suffering from serious nitrification and biofilm re-growth. Because of the loss of residual disinfectant in tanks, reservoirs, and at endpoint pipelines, you are overdosing the system. Overdosing chloramine increases nitrification and thus biofouling. You are caught in a vicious circle of self- destruction.
The parallels for Wisconsin are the timing of the problem (late August) and the nitrification issues.
It’s important to note that ammonia is a food source for bacteria, so when chloramine breaks down, the ammonia feeds the bacteria it is supposed to stop. Further, a byproduct of this compound is nitrification. Nitrogen is released into the water, which causes more growth of bacteria. Nitrates can reduce hemoglobin in a newborn baby’s blood, resulting in blue baby syndrome, a fatal condition.
I’d also be curious to talk to residents to see if the water smelled like chlorine before the do-not-drink order.
Now that they are “flushing” the system, also known as a burnout, other problems may also pop up.
The levels of chlorine used in a burnout produce chloroform, which if inhaled in a hot shower or through medical devices (humidifiers, CPAPs, or nebulizers) can cause chemically induced asthma and pneumonia.
When you smell what you think is chlorine in water, it’s due to exceedingly high levels of toxic chemical compounds reacting with the chlorine. The utility has other options to clean the dirt out of your drinking water, but they won’t use them without pressure from you, the consumers.
This info is exactly why I am always pushing for people across the country to get curious about their water treatment systems before crises occur.
It’s important to say that no two bodies of water are the same, and that all water treatment systems vary in design and function, tailored to address specific contaminants and water quality issues.
At the same time, certain problems such as disinfection byproducts, monitoring systems for nitrification, and aging infrastructure, are known challenges that villages and towns need to plan for so they can get ahead of problems before they arise.
Water Lesson 101
Both nitrate (NO3) and nitrite (NO2) originate from human and animal wastes (septic systems), fertilizers, and crop residues. They are chemically similar and regulated by the EPA.
The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for nitrate and nitrite to the following for the safety of drinking water:
Nitrates MCL = 10 mg/L
Nitrites MCL = 1 mg/L
As a reminder: An MCL is a legal threshold limit on the amount of a substance that is allowed in public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Problems Found In State Water Report
Interestingly, the Groundwater Coordinating Council, which includes representatives from various Wisconsin state agencies and academic institutions, just shared its recommendations for protecting and preserving the state’s vital groundwater resources in its 2025 annual report to the Wisconsin State Legislature.
Among the most prevalent and pressing groundwater issues in Wisconsin?
Nitrate contamination in both private and public wells—a long-standing concern that has impacted the state for five decades, along with the presence of pesticides in more than 40 percent of private potable wells.
The GCC’s 2025 primary recommendations include:
Addressing nitrate contamination in groundwater by expanding monitoring efforts, expanding eligibility to the NR 123 Well Compensation Program, working alongside our farmers to promote groundwater sustainable practices and more.
Tackling pesticide contamination in groundwater by updating and setting new standards for several pesticides and supporting strategies that minimize pesticide leaching.
Town Meeting
At a public meeting Tuesday night, residents asked questions and voiced concerns to village leaders.
“Our government is responsible for the safety and security of our water, and they dropped the ball. Is that a fair assessment?” one resident asked during the open meeting.
“I would say no we have not dropped the ball. We have the water plan chlorination expansion scheduled to be finished in November,” Williams Bay Village President, Adam Jaramillo responded.
No, Mr. Jaramillo, when an entire village can’t drink their tap water, someone has “dropped a ball.” As an official, it’s important to take responsibility and listen to your constituents. It’s your job to maintain order at the water treatment plant by making sure your operators are well-trained and that your village has a plan for maintaining water quality.
I get that not every elected official is a water expert, but it’s important now more than ever to understand the importance of drinking water for your community. If I were in your shoes, I would continue to hold regular public meetings, so that everyone in the village can express concerns and get answers, not just about the current crisis but about the ways to avoid these situations for the future.
Sadly, water issues like this one are not easy fixes. In this case, it seems like the system needs to be monitored more closely. Parts may need to be replaced. It’s also important to understand other sources of nitrogen might be impacting the water supply such as agricultural runoff from fertilization or livestock wastes or contamination from sewage. All these factors influence how you clean the water.
Updates will be posted on the village website.
More science can be found here:
Drinking Water Nitrate and Human Health: An Updated Review
Review of Nitrification Monitoring and Control Strategies in Drinking Water System
A review on Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic acids in drinking water
Read more about water advisories and how to plan for a water emergency in your area.
Join the conversation! What did you learn about water quality safety issues? What questions do you have? Let us know in the comments below!
Jesus, so glad I have well water.