“The Army was testing 240 private wells; it had been doing that for several years,” McCumber said. “Forming the sanitary district was the way to get away from private wells.”

The DNR plan involved capping the private wells and providing safe drinking water. It took about five years to put a petition to the Merrimac Town Board for the creation of the water district, during which time the Army stopped regularly testing the private wells. The water district was approved.

“The Army was going to have the final decision document signed to approve the funding so we could start working on ordinances, getting the plans approved, then determine the water rate so it would be equal to or less than that of a private well,” McCumber said.

“So the first letter we received in May 2016 was saying it was approved; then in January the Army said we are reviewing the process,” he said. “Now it’s May 2017 and now they are saying they can’t do it. It’s a joke. They are leaving everybody here high and dry.”

McCumber said he has corresponded with public officials — U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan and State Rep. David Considine — about the matter.