Department of Health Services Logo

 

Wisconsin Department of Health Services

 

Drought and Your Health

Image of a dry riverDrought conditions can directly affect human health. Lower levels of water in lakes and streams increase the concentration of pollutants and can lead to standing water. Dusty conditions and an increased risk of wildfires can affect those with chronic respiratory illness, and can also increase risk of infection. Droughts can also pose a risk to people who get their water from a private well.

For more information on drought and health, see the following resources.

Wisconsin Resources

ReadyWisconsin Drought Resources (exit DHS)

Heat-Related Health and Safety Tips from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Information about water issues from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

What's wrong with my water? (exit DHS): Information from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Farm Center Available During Extended Dry Period (exit DHS; PDF, 282 KB), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection media release (July 5, 2012).

Other Resources

When Every Drop Counts - CDC Drought Preparedness Guide (exit DHS; PDF, 4.8 MB)

Prepare for a drought - During a drought (exit DHS): Information from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Crisis support information and resources for farmers and their families from Farm Aid (exit DHS).

PDF: The free Adobe Reader® software is needed to view and print portable document format (PDF) files.  Learn more.

Last Updated: October 24, 2012