Some Kewaunee County leaders are asking for fast action from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the new year to combat local problems with drinking and surface water.

Kewaunee County Supervisor Lee Luft delivered an emphatic message Wednesday to the Natural Resources Board about the water pollution many residents say is connected to animal waste from large farms. “There’s very, very little monitoring, and very, very little enforcement,” Luft said.

Luft also renewed the county’s call for a study of aquatic life in local streams and rivers.

DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said her agency is assigning more staff to address Kewaunee County’s problems.

“Getting boots on the ground, eyes out thereand working with producers so they comply,” Stepp said.

She said there will be more talk with state lawmakers next year about dollars to deal with the pollution plaguing what may be about one-third of the county’s wells.

Also in the early stages is a rule package that could affect the large farms, including some so-called concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs.