Belleville sits on the Dane and Green County line, so well rules depend on which side you live on. Exeter wells are shallower than most nearby, with a median of 150 feet. Test for bacteria and nitrate every year, and use a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump work.
Updated October 2026
Typical wells here
- Exeter (Green County): 583 wells, median 150 ft (126–192), casing 86 ft.
- Exeter’s median water level is only about 35 ft down, and none of its wells in the data pass 300 ft.
- Montrose (Dane) and Brooklyn (Green) have no town figures in the depth table yet. County medians: Dane 179 ft, Green 176 ft.
Valley wells like these reach water close to the surface. Ridge wells to the west run much deeper.
Water quality notes
- Green County monitoring treats about 2 mg/L nitrate as natural background. The standard is 10 mg/L.
- Coliform bacteria mean the well is at risk. Retest, and have a licensed pro find the source if it returns.
- Test after heavy rain if the water turns cloudy or tastes different.
Testing near Belleville
- Green County Public Health, Monroe: bacteria $30, nitrate $35, Monday to Wednesday. 608-328-9390.
- Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH), Madison: bacteria $35, nitrate $35, arsenic $38. Kits ship free; you pay return shipping. 608-224-6202.
- UW-Stevens Point lab: homeowner package $78 (bacteria, nitrate and basic chemistry). 715-346-3209.
Permits and rules
- Dane side (Montrose): a PHMDC well location permit ($226) plus the DNR notification ($50.50).
- Green side (Exeter, Brooklyn): the DNR notification applies. Confirm local rules with Green County zoning.
- A well unused for more than 90 days must be filled and sealed by a licensed driller or pump installer. The DNR Well Abandonment Grant can pay 75% for eligible households, with approval before work starts.
When you need a licensed professional
Wisconsin rules require a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump and pressure-tank work on a drinking-water well; check with DNR if you’re unsure. You can check a contractor’s license in the DNR directories.
- Cloudy or sandy water
- A pump that short-cycles
- Bacteria after flooding or heavy rain
- Sealing an unused well
Related
- Wells around New Glarus
- Wells around Oregon
- Typical well depths by town
- Common well problems
- Where to test your well water
Sources
