MADISON – This week, the Water Pollution Notification Act (AB 635) was officially introduced in the State Assembly, garnering widespread bipartisan support across the state. This bill is critical to protecting private well owners’ right to know what’s in their drinking water.
There is no question that Wisconsinites of all backgrounds, political affiliations, and regions of the state support this legislation and care about clean drinking water. This week, Wisconsin Conservation Voters sent legislators a letter signed by 60 stakeholders supporting the bill. Additionally, hundreds of people wrote their legislators using our action, sending co-sponsorship asks to every Senate district and 85 percent of Assembly districts.
50 legislators – 35 Democrats and 15 Republicans – signed on as co-sponsors on the bill.
“We are doing everything in our power to make sure communities are aware of the potential pollutants in their drinking water because their health may be on the line,” said Government Affairs Manager Peter Burress. “Our organizers and their volunteer teams have knocked over 400 doors, providing information on testing drinking water, distributing water testing kits, and sharing support for this legislation.”
“We are also making it a priority to tell the stories of people impacted by contaminated drinking water, like Larry Brenner, the Matzek family, and Tarion O’Carroll,” said Burress. “We hope that telling these stories will bring awareness to the issue and get our state legislators to take action on this much needed bill.”
Shared entirely through unpaid outreach and organic engagement, the stories have collectively been viewed by over 20,000 people. To be connected to one of our storytellers, please reach out to our communications team.
