Our final stop of the day was a visit with the Wisconsin Rural Water Association in Plover. Formed in 1986, the organization has 18 employees who work with some 490 municipalities and their water systems across the state.
Jeff LaBelle is a Circuit Rider; he does technical assistance, training, line testing and other assistance for the people who run the water systems. A big part of LaBelle’s job is helping find leaks in a system. He demonstrated a number of listening devises and monitors he uses to find leaks in anything from old cast iron to today’s plastic water lines. Most systems are a combination of pipes depending upon when they were installed. He has even run into a few wooden pipes over the years.
AUDIO:LaBelle talks about his work as a Circuit Rider 3:24 mp3
Andrew Aslesen is a Sourcewater Specialist with WRWA; he works with municipalities as part of the wellhead protection program in Wisconsin. Many times when a city, town or village drills a new well it is located in agricultural fields. Aslesen works with the municipality and the farmers to help protect the groundwater. He encourages farmers to follow best management practices, follow their nutrient management plan and other good stewardship. Often times protecting the groundwater around the municipal well means protecting the farmers well too.
AUDIO:Aslesen talks about his work protecting groundwater 5:09 mp3
Visit the WRWA website here:
Latest: 
