Wisconsin well owners have a few options: the DNR Well Compensation Grant for certain contaminated wells, the DNR Well Abandonment Grant for filling and sealing, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants for very-low-income owners, and free WellTAP testing. The ARPA well grant is closed. Most programs require approval before any work starts.
Updated October 2026
Programs at a glance
| Program | Who qualifies | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| Well Compensation Grant (DNR) | Household income $65,000 or less (smaller awards from $45,000 to $65,000) and certain contamination | 75% of up to $16,000 in eligible costs (up to $12,000). You pay at least $250. |
| Well Abandonment Grant (DNR) | Same income limits | 75% of eligible filling and sealing costs |
| USDA Section 504 | Owner-occupants with very low income (below 50% of area median) | Loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years. Grants up to $10,000 for owners 62 and older. Up to $50,000 combined. |
| WellTAP (DHS) | Primary home with someone pregnant, a child 12 or under, or someone with a weak immune system, plus a cost or other burden | Free water tests |
Well Compensation Grant
- Arsenic qualifies at 50 parts per billion or more.
- Nitrate qualifies only at 40 mg/L or more, and only when the well serves livestock (over 100 gallons a day) as well as the home.
- Bacteria qualify only when the source is livestock waste or the home is in a DNR special compensation area.
- PFAS and other contaminants can qualify when a do-not-drink advisory has been issued.
- Dug wells are not eligible. Apply before any work.
- The ARPA version is closed. Its final reimbursement deadline was August 31, 2026.
- New: 2025 Wisconsin Acts 200 and 201 create a PFAS well aid program. The DNR is still developing it.
Well Abandonment Grant
- Pays 75% of eligible costs to fill and seal an unused well, for households at $65,000 or less.
- You must get DNR approval before the work. Work done before approval is not reimbursed.
- Work must be finished within 1 year. DNR grant contact: 608-228-9403.
USDA Section 504
- Applications are accepted all year.
- Well repairs can count when they remove a health or safety hazard.
- A grant must be repaid if the home is sold within 3 years.
Tips before you apply
- Get approval first. Most programs won’t pay for work already done.
- Keep copies of your lab results.
- Ask the agency what estimates and paperwork your application needs.
When you need a licensed professional
- Grant-funded well work, such as a new well or filling and sealing, is done by a DNR-licensed well driller or pump installer.
- Ask for a written estimate that shows the contractor’s license number.
Related
- Coliform or E. coli in your well
- Nitrate in Driftless-area well water
- Filling and sealing an old well
- Where to test well water
- What well work costs in Wisconsin
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