Municipal Code Section 46-26. - Water Service Installation - Connection Requirements.  Each dwelling or other building used for human habitation or other buildings where human beings are in need of water facilities, which is located upon or adjacent tot any street in and along which public water mains have been laid, or which has reasonable access to public water main, shall be connected with an individual connection to the said water main; except that when a private well is in compliance with Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 312, the Wisconsin Well Code, is adequate and safe, this supply may be continued in operation until such time as it is in need of repair or replacement. 

Owners of private wells wishing to retain their well for any use must apply to the Water Utility no later than one year after connection to the municipal water system, by submitting a Private Well Permit Application to:

La Crosse Water Utility
400 La Crosse Street
La Crosse, WI 54601

Currently, private well permits are issued for a period not to exceed five years. Permits are non-transferable and become void with the sale of the property. For transfer of property, the Water Utility should be contacted by letter, at least ten working days prior to the transfer of the property, with information showing the contact information for the new responsible party for the well.

As part of the Private Well Permit application, and before a private well permit will be issued, the well owner must provide the following; all criteria must be satisfied

1. The well and pump installation shall meet the Standards for Existing installations described in Wis. Admin. Code Sections NR 812.42.The Department of Natural Resources website provides information on licensed well drillers and pump installers who can certify that wells meet the rent requirements for well standards; and
2. The well shall have a history of producing safe water, as evidenced by at least one coliform bacteriological safe sample analysis; and
3. There shall be no cross connections between the well and the municipal water system; and
4. Payment of current private Well Permit fee.

If the minimum requirements cannot be met, the private well must be abandoned or corrections must be made to bring the well into compliance before a permit will be issued.

Please call the La Crosse Utilities Office with questions at (608) 789-7536.