All municipal water systems of the CBCWA members obtain their water from wells that tap into the St. Peters Sandstone Aquifer. This deep-water aquifer underlies all of Brown County and is depleted by the high demand placed on it by growing communities. Most private on-site wells, utilized by individual households, obtain water from shallow aquifers located close to the surface.

With a few exceptions, most citizens residing in De Pere, Allouez, Bellevue and Howard are served by municipal water systems. Municipal water systems within the communities of Ledgeview and Lawrence provide water to only a portion of residents residing in these respective communities. The majority of residences located within these communities have privately-owned, on-site wells that provide for their water needs. Some of these shallow wells have also experienced problems with water quality and quantity.

In addition to concerns about the long-term availability of water, many of the wells within these communities fail to meet new water quality standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These new quality standards will be enforced beginning in December 2006.

By developing an agreement to purchase Lake Michigan water from the city of Manitowoc and Manitowoc Public Utilities, water quality and quantity will no longer be a concern.