Homes around Stoughton in Pleasant Springs, Dunkirk and Albion use private wells on glaciated ground in eastern Dane County. Your depth is on your well construction report. Test for bacteria and nitrate every year, and use a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump or tank work.
Updated October 2026
Typical wells here
- Pleasant Springs, Dunkirk and Albion have no town figures in the depth table yet. The Dane County median is 179 ft.
- Find your own well in the DNR Well Records Search. Wells from before 1988 are listed by township, range and section.
- Look for a Wisconsin Unique Well Number tag on the casing. It pulls up the record directly.
In DNR records for 22 area townships, 38% of replacement wells replaced noncompliant or pit wells. Older farm wells are worth checking.
Water quality notes
- PHMDC found about 1 in 5 Dane County private wells tested from 1988 to 2021 had unsafe nitrate. These were self-selected tests.
- The state Well Compensation Grant covers nitrate only at 40 mg/L or more, and only for a well serving livestock plus the home. Income limits apply.
- November and December are a good time to winterize. Heavy holiday use can overload an old pump.
Testing near Stoughton
- The Madison and Dane County public health lab stopped testing on October 1, 2025. PHMDC still helps you read results: 608-243-0357.
- 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.
- WellTAP: free tests for eligible homes with a pregnant person, a child 12 or under, or someone immunocompromised. In Dane County, call 608-242-6515.
Permits and rules
- New well: a Dane County well location permit from PHMDC ($226, 608-242-6515) plus the DNR well construction notification ($50.50).
- 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.
- Replacing a well pit or noncompliant well
- No water or a pump that won’t stop
- Pressure tank or switch failure
- Sealing an unused farm well
Related
- Wells around Oregon
- Wells around Belleville and Exeter
- Typical well depths by town
- Common well problems
- Where to test your well water
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