Fond Du Lac Environmental issues (living, statistics, moving to)

[cpkc10]

I'm in the process of considering relocating to Fond Du Lac for a job offer. I had been looking at positions in smaller towns in Wisconsin because traditionally, I felt they were good places to raise a family, and have loved my visits there in the past. My concerns are that with more recent changes in state government to be so extremely pro-business and anti-regulation that they may have gone too far and are damaging the living conditions , offsetting the benefits of moving there. Specific concerns around Fond Du Lac have to do with water and air quality. There has been dramatic increase in corporate farms and resultant concentrated waste. I understand that monitoring or regulating at the county level has been undermined by the governor, allowing significant risks to groundwater and air quality in the area. The county website itself shows significant number of wells contaminated with E. Coli, elevated levels of nitrates, etc. It also made a reference to places that bottled water may be purchased, which may be disconcerting depending on the rationale for this comment. When I was recently visiting there, I did not notice any foul odors until on my drive out of town. There was an overpowering smell that lasted for several miles without fading. It reminded me of concentrated hog manure, which I assume had been spread on the fields for fertilizer. I am not positive, because I have never smelt it that strong or that long-lasting anywhere else, and in actuality, my nose is not very sensitive.
I love the thought of moving to the Wisconsin I used to visit when I was young, I'm just not sure if these issues are as serious as some people say, and if they still are able to be effectively addressed anymore in this community and state overall. Any insights are appreciated.

[AminWi]

Are you sure the smell was farm related? The paper mills in the area have a distinctive odor that has had me trying to hold my breath for miles on more than one trip to the Fox River Valley.

[cpkc10]

Not sure, just assuming because there were some pretty big farm operations right along the road in that area. I also had been down that road the previous day, not noticed any odor then, but the following day it was extremely powerful. I am assuming that with a paper mill, the odor would be consistent day to day, but again, I don't really know.

[AminWi]

There have definitely been articles in our papers about CAFOs in Wisconsin that have made whole communities basically unlivable because of smells, noise, and groundwater contamination. I'm not sure how many of those cases have been near Fond du Lac. Perhaps the DNR would be a good place to start researching? CAFO and CAFO WPDES permit statistics - Wisconsin DNR