Ahlstrom to provide free bottled water to those who live near the Stella Town Hall

The company that owns the Rhinelander paper mill will provide free bottled water to eligible residents in the Town of Stella and surrounding communities, in response to ongoing concerns about drinking water quality in the region.

The program, set to begin this month, will serve residents living within a three-mile radius of the Stella Town Hall (2496 County C). 

"As a longtime employer in our local communities, we understand that concerns about drinking water have been raised by residents of the region and are working to be part of the solution," said Tricia Schwartz, spokesperson for Ahlstrom, the corporation that has operated the Rhinelander mill since 2018. "This program reinforces our commitment to the region as a dependable partner."

No well testing is required for eligibility.

Under the program, Culligan Water will deliver five-gallon water jugs to participating households on a monthly basis, including delivery of full jugs and collection of empty containers. 

In an interview with the Star Journal, Schwartz likened it to milk bottle deliveries of years past.

Culligan, which currently provides bottled water for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) program in the area, will also supply floor-stand water dispensers to residents.

Langan Engineering and Environmental Services will serve as the program administrator and contact point for residents. Eligible residents can sign up by calling 715-994-9894 or through a QR code included in mailings being sent to qualifying households.

Residents currently enrolled in the bottled water program initiated by the DNR are eligible to transfer to the Ahlstrom program, with Culligan Water continuing service without interruption and at no charge, Schwartz noted.

According to a fact sheet provided by the company, the program is guaranteed to run for at least one year. Ahlstrom officials said they will evaluate the program prior to its one-year anniversary in January 2027 to determine next steps.

Ahlstrom is contacting eligible residents by mail to inform them about the program and provide enrollment information, Schwartz noted.

The rural Oneida County township has been grappling with PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination since late 2022 when a DNR-led testing project showed private wells in the community of approximately 600 people have some of the highest concentrations recorded nationwide.

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used since the 1950s in stain-resistant, waterproof, and non-stick products. They do not break down in the environment, leading to widespread contamination of water, soil, and human blood. Exposure is linked to cancer, immune system dysfunction, and liver disease.

In September 2025, the DNR sent letters to Ahlstrom and the Rhinelander mill’s former owner, Wausau Paper, designating them as the parties responsible for the extensive contamination in Stella. 

Since 2023, the DNR has been looking into the possibility that the elevated PFAS levels in Stella are the result of the long-standing practice of spreading industrial sludge from the Rhinelander mill on the town’s agricultural fields. According to DNR records, such land spreading was a common practice going back to at least 1996.

In its “responsible party” letters, agency officials explained that they compared groundwater, surface water, sediment and soil samples where sludge was spread with areas where the agency has no record of land spreading. 

In late November, the two companies asked for and received 60-day extensions to a DNR-set deadline for submission of a Site Investigation Work Plan (SIWP) for the PFAS-contaminated lands in Stella.