Gudex Bill Passes Senate But Needs Assembly Approval

The State Senate this week passed a bill that would give the owners of high capacity wells more rights. Senator Rick Gudex of Fond du Lac created the bill. Gudex says local farmers had concerns about the transferring of ownership and maintenance of those wells. The bill would allow both and replacement of a failing well within 75 of the original without triggering DNR review. Gudex says well owners should be able to transfer ownership of a well if they are selling their property and have lived up to the DNR permits. He says the bill would apply to any high capacity well owner. He says that could cities like Fond du Lac, which has 15 high capacity wells. Gudex says one thing he learned in researching for the bill is that most high capacity well owners rarely use them at capacity, usually at 50 percent or less. Unfortunately the bill needs to be passed by the Assembly, which is no longer in session.