Staff from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Brown County Public Health are assessing the impact and potential risks related to a silage leachate discharge in the town of Ledgeview in Brown County. Silage leachate is the liquid produced in feed storage facilities from compaction and storage of harvested crops.
The discharge is coming from a feed storage area at Ledgeview Farms and flowing into Bower Creek. The property owner built berms to contain the leachate, but it appears that the liquid is moving through the ground below the feed storage area and seeping under the berms. DNR officials are working with the property owner to implement interim controls for the subsurface movement.
Sileage leachate can contain a variety of bacteria, specifically E. coli, and toxins that can make people and animals sick. As a result, Brown County Public Health officials recommend that residents, especially children and pets, in the area of the discharge avoid coming into contact with the leachate.
Anyone who may have come in contact with the leachate, should immediately wash their hands with soap and warm water, and avoid hand-to-mouth contact. Symptoms of infection, which can appear 3-4 days after initial contact, include fever, vomiting and/or persistent, severe diarrhea. If these symptoms are present, contact a primary care physician.
The symptoms in pets are similar if silage leachate is ingested and can result in liver damage. Consult with a veterinarian if contact is suspected.
No further details are available at this time. The DNR will share additional information as it becomes available.
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