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Council briefed on water/sewer capacity limits; developer‑funded engineering review approved for Willow Run proposal
Summary
City staff reported constrained water and sewer capacity, ongoing well repairs, PFAS and radium treatment challenges and a required SEWRPC sewer service area update for the northwest quadrant; the council approved a developer‑funded review of municipal service and design for the proposed Willow Run development.
City staff told the Pewaukee Common Council on Feb. 17 that the city is working through multiple constraints in both water supply and wastewater treatment that could affect near‑term development approvals.
Key technical points: Staff said the city has a water capacity study underway to evaluate groundwater, surface water and other source options; the study is expected in the third quarter of 2025. Several wells have PFAS detections above proposed health advisory levels and some wells have radium; staff are blending sources or applying treatment where practicable and have one emergency pump repair approved. Two shallow wells showed partial collapses that limit capacity and are under geologic review. Staff said the system currently meets minimum supply and fire‑protection requirements, but added capacity is limited when peak summer demand occurs.
On wastewater, Pewaukee purchases 2,150,000 gallons per day of treatment capacity at the regional treatment plant; staff said that amount already represents roughly 17.5% of the plant’s capacity and that current city flows are approaching the purchased allocation. Staff warned that additional development may exhaust the city's allocated share and require purchasing more capacity, negotiating transfers with partners, or funding plant expansion. The city is pursuing infiltration and inflow (I&I) reduction measures to preserve capacity.
Service area mapping and timeline: Staff also reported that a northwest quadrant of the city is not mapped in Sewer Service Area records with SEWRPC; adding that area requires a full sewer service update, not a simple amendment. SEWRPC indicated a one‑year minimum review period for a complete service area update. Until mapping is completed, developments requiring sewer extension in that quadrant cannot receive final approvals tied to SEWRPC/DNR mapping requirements.
Willow Run review agreement: Council considered and approved an agreement for the developer (Land by Labor/Willow Run) to fund a consultant review of municipal services, traffic impact analysis, sanitary design and a proposed lift station. The scope includes reviewing downstream sewer capacity and whether multiple nearby lift stations could be consolidated. The developer will pay the consultant costs; council approval authorizes staff to proceed with the review. The agreement places the cost burden on the developer but does not guarantee final approval of the development; staff emphasized that study results may require different mitigation or capital actions.
What to expect: Staff will return with study results, cost estimates for options (including possible purchase of additional treatment capacity or plant expansion), and recommendations on phasing or limits for development approvals. Council members said they want to balance long‑term planning with providing predictable review timelines to applicants.
