New London reviews wastewater compliance options after EPA-approved TMDL sets low phosphorus limit

Mike Gerbitz, senior process engineer with Donahue and Associates, told the Board of Public Works in New London on June 2 that the city’s wastewater treatment plant cannot reliably meet a new phosphorus limit set by a TMDL approved by the EPA.

The PCAP — a Preliminary Compliance Alternatives Plan required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permit — outlines options the city can pursue to comply with the permit-by-date of July 1, 2029, and recommends next steps including submitting the PCAP, confirming eligibility for a multi-discharge variance with the DNR, and meeting with USDA Rural Development to explore funding.

Gerbitz said the EPA-approved total maximum daily load for the Upper Fox–Wolf River basin allocates a 6‑month average phosphorus limit of 3.3 pounds per day to the New London discharge. “You get a mere 3.3 pounds per day as a 6 month average,” Gerbitz said. He added that New London’s plant currently averages about 0.4 milligrams per liter for phosphorus — “remarkably good” for a non‑filtration plant —…