84 Wisconsin communities to receive $414M in state funding for wastewater and stormwater projects

Eighty-four municipalities in Wisconsin are slated to receive allotments from state funding to improve their wastewater and stormwater systems. Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced last month that $414.4 million has been allocated for financial assistance through the state’s Clean Water Fund Program.

“Helping communities replace and modernize aging systems to ensure they meet federal and state regulations is a critical part of our work to ensure every Wisconsinite has healthy, safe, and clean drinking water from their tap,” said Evers in a statement. “These dollars will help communities ensure they have the infrastructure their residents can trust to address wastewater and stormwater and be even better prepared to handle any future challenges that may arise.”

The $414.4 million is a record amount for the program. The Department of Natural Resources is allocating $358.3 million in subsidized, reduced-interest-rate loan funding and $56.1 million in principal forgiveness. The program is funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Examples of projects receiving funding include: The village of Soldiers Grove, which is receiving $386,000 in funding that includes $215,774 of general principal forgiveness and $54,040 of phosphorus reduction priority principal forgiveness, with the remainder through a loan with a reduced interest rate. The money will be used to reduce concentrations of phosphorus in the effluent from the village’s wastewater treatment plant, as well as to replace and upgrade aging equipment.

The village of Denmark is receiving $5 million in funding, including $1 million of phosphorus reduction priority principal forgiveness and $832,500 of general principal forgiveness, with the remainder through a loan with a reduced interest rate. Denmark will use the funding to construct a tertiary treatment process to reduce phosphorus concentrations in the effluent from the village’s wastewater treatment plant.

The city of Superior is receiving $3,767,373 in funding, including $1,130,212 of general principal forgiveness, with the remainder through a loan with a reduced interest rate. This funding will be used to reduce excessive flow to the wastewater treatment plant in times of wet weather, as well as reduce flooding. Stormwater will be routed to a best management practice for treatment to improve water quality.

Funding will be awarded to municipalities in the coming months and disbursed as eligible costs are incurred, according to the statement.