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Pewaukee committee hears stormwater report as DNR readies TMDL finalization
Summary
Rich, the city stormwater presenter, told the Public Works Committee the Department of Natural Resources is expected to finalize Pewaukee's TMDL this summer; the annual report also detailed erosion inspections, five noncompliance notices, and the city’s salt and brine usage trends.
The Pewaukee Public Works Committee on a routine agenda reviewed the city’s annual stormwater report and heard that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is expected to finalize the city’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) this year, likely by the end of summer. Rich, the stormwater presenter, told the committee the final TMDL will likely shift some program priorities and compliance work.
“The DNR is going to finalize our TMDL this year, looking like the end of summer,” Rich said, noting staff will adjust projects and programs once the TMDL is issued. He said the department has been busy with erosion-control inspections and enforcement: the report documents five notices of noncompliance and eight notices of violation issued to properties or projects that failed to meet ordinance standards.
Rich also detailed routine maintenance that feeds into the stormwater system. Crews swept roughly 2,400 lane miles last year — several times over the city’s roughly 198 lane miles — to reduce debris entering catch basins. Committee members asked where sweepings and catch-basin material go; Rich said those materials are taken to the landfill rather than being reused because of contamination risks.
On winter maintenance, Rich reported preliminary numbers — about 2,100 tons of rock salt and 3,380 gallons of brine used before a recent blizzard — and said staff are working with fleet reports to reconcile usage. He described two roles for brine: pre‑wetting pavement to reduce bonding of ice and pre‑wetting salt so pellets adhere to the roadway rather than bouncing into ditches.
“Brine has 23% salt,” Rich said, explaining the material can reduce overall rock‑salt use but carries tradeoffs. Committee members discussed alternatives mentioned in the report and state studies, including all‑brine approaches and experimental additives such as beet or pickle brine; presenters warned those options can cause corrosion or higher organic/phosphorus runoff and have not been adopted locally.
After questions and discussion about regional practices and long‑term maintenance costs, a committee member moved to adopt the stormwater report; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The committee was directed to the full report posted on the city website for technical details and to expect more information once the DNR issues the final TMDL.
