A new groundwater protection bill probably won’t affect Kenosha County much, if at all, said one of the authors of the proposal.

Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said Kenosha has not surfaced in discussions about state sites likely to be included as areas where water management plans and precautions would be required under the Groundwater Protection Bill.

“I can’t say for sure about that, but Kenosha has not been mentioned as a major problem area for groundwater,” he said.

The Kenosha Water Utility supplies the city of Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie and parts of Somers and Bristol with water from Lake Michigan. The rest of the county uses wells drawing on groundwater.

Black and Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, introduced the bill Monday to protect drinking water and associated waterways.

Removing groundwater to excess has resulted in high levels of arsenic, radium and other toxic substances in remaining amounts in various locations in the state.

The legislators have said lower groundwater levels shrink nearby lakes and wetlands, affecting property values as well as fishing, boating and other recreation.

Black said the bill would expand protection to about 200 more springs in the state so that high-capacity wells could not drain or affect them. He was not certain whether any Kenosha County springs might be included.

The bill’s conservation requirements would not affect the Kenosha Water Utility because it already is covered by Great Lakes Water Compact rules, said Black.

Concerns about restricting jobs because of a bill section allowing a challenge to high-capacity wells are unfounded, said Black. He said challenges must be based on data suggesting a possible adverse environmental impact because of such a well.

“It’s not that any person or lake association could waltz in and tie up a well application,” he said. “Water is important to business, commercial and agricultural areas, and we don’t want anyone to challenge a well lightly.”

The bill allows areas of the state to be designated as groundwater management areas, or sites where water use must be managed to avoid or reverse environmental problems related to too much groundwater being withdrawn. Counties would be required to develop plans to deal with that.