Rural wells around Sauk City and Prairie du Sac typically run 140 to 150 feet deep, near the Sauk County median. Sauk County Extension offers free test kits, and a town testing program is planned for 2028. Test yearly, and use a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump work.
Updated October 2026
Typical wells here
- Town of Prairie du Sac: 226 wells, median 140 ft (105–202), casing 124 ft, water level about 44 ft down.
- Troy: 213 wells, median 142 ft (106–185).
- Honey Creek: 152 wells, median 148 ft (118–204).
- Sumpter has no town figure in the depth table yet. The Sauk County median is 140 ft.
Water quality notes
- Across the river, Roxbury in Dane County was part of the 2024–25 western Dane project, where 10% of 1,292 volunteer samples were over the 10 mg/L nitrate standard.
- Coliform bacteria mean the well is at risk. E. coli points to human or animal waste.
- Test again if water changes after heavy spring or summer rain.
Testing near Sauk City
- Sauk County Extension, 505 Broadway, Baraboo: free UW-Stevens Point kits, paid at the lab. 608-355-3250.
- Rotating town programs are scheduled for Troy, Honey Creek and Prairie du Sac in 2028.
- UWSP homeowner package: $78. WSLH bacteria and nitrate tests are $35 each.
Permits and rules
- New well in Sauk County: the DNR notification ($50.50) applies. An older Sauk brochure mentioned a county well permit, so confirm with Sauk County zoning.
- Roxbury (Dane County): a PHMDC well location permit ($226) is also required.
- 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.
- No water or sputtering faucets
- Coliform in a test
- Pressure tank or switch trouble
- Sealing an old well before building
Related
- Wells around Black Earth and Mazomanie
- Wells around Spring Green and Arena
- Typical well depths by town
- Common well problems
- Where to test your well water
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