For Dan Wilson, clean drinking water isn’t something to take for granted. As a southeast Minnesota farmer who relies on a private well, he’s deeply concerned about nitrate contamination, a serious problem linked to higher rates of cancer and birth complications in the region.
“Drinking water from a private well and worrying about its impact on my family’s health was a strong motivating factor,” Wilson said. “I’ve also been part of community conversations around nitrate contamination that felt unproductive, even though everyone wanted to make progress. It was frustrating to see our community spinning its wheels over such an important issue.”
Turning worry into advocacy
Determined to help drive change, Wilson joined Project REACH (Rural Experts Advancing Community Health), a leadership program that empowers rural Minnesotans to address urgent health challenges through community-led policy solutions. Led by the University of Minnesota’s Rural Health Program in partnership with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and the Office of Academic and Clinical Affairs, the program prepared Wilson to take on a personal and community-wide concern: nitrate contamination in private wells.
Today, he’s putting that training to work, using his skills and network to advocate for clean water and a healthier future for his community.
Crafting a community-driven solution
Wilson’s policy proposal focuses on training community health workers to test private wells and educate residents about the dangers of nitrate exposure. Over the past year, he’s worked alongside state health officials, local governments, environmental groups, and university programs to move the idea forward.
A significant turning point in this journey came when Project REACH emphasized the power of storytelling, a core component of its training.
“I’ve generally downplayed the importance of narrative framing,” Wilson admitted. “But through public health narrative exercises, I found ways to communicate by focusing on individual health, which opened up the conversation with a much broader group of stakeholders.”
Partnering on policy
One key stakeholder was Rep. Kristi Pursell, co-vice chair of the Minnesota Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee. Wilson partnered with her to help shape policies that prioritize clean drinking water.
While he’d already seen himself as someone who could engage in policy, Project REACH gave him added structure, and credibility.
“I’d say Project REACH gave me a reason to reach out and have conversations with stakeholders,” Wilson said. “Being associated with the University of Minnesota encouraged others to meet with me and share their perspectives. It’s much easier to send an email saying, ‘I’m working on a project with the U of M’ and get a reply.
Ideas into action
Wilson’s advocacy quickly moved beyond meetings and research. In February, he presented his work to local stakeholders. A month later, he published an op-ed to raise public awareness and push for action.
That momentum led to real results. Thanks in part to Wilson’s advocacy, the Minnesota Department of Health committed funding to support water testing and education led by community health workers. The work will be carried out through Tap-In, a state-funded initiative focused on clean drinking water in southeast Minnesota.
Continuing the fight
Wilson isn’t slowing down. He recently joined Winona County’s Comprehensive Plan Planning Committee, ensuring water quality stays on the local policy agenda.
He’s also been selected to join the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center’s Cancer Advocates program, where he continues pushing for rural health improvements, keeping clean water and cancer prevention at the heart of local conversations.
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