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Marshfield board accepts 2025 wastewater compliance report, records TSS sampling anomaly
Summary
The Board of Public Works approved a resolution accepting the 2025 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report for the Marshfield wastewater plant, noting a temporary TSS exceedance tied to a construction-related alternate sampling location and recommending no further action before DNR submission.
The Marshfield Board of Public Works voted to accept the 2025 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report and approved a staff-recommended comment addressing a temporary TSS exceedance tied to construction sampling changes.
Mark, the plant esignated operator-in-charge (OIC), told the board the report is required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and that the city is in the third year of its current five-year WPDES permit. "The tertiary treatment filters went online last September and the new gravity belt thickener was first operated on November 4th," Mark said, adding that those systems "have been working extremely well." He also said the plant treated about a billion gallons last year and that hauled-in waste accounted for about 48 million gallons, roughly 5% of total flow.
Mark said a new phosphorus TMDL took effect May 1 and requires a reduction from a prior limit of 1.0 parts per million to 0.3 parts per million; he credited the tertiary filters with providing the additional phosphorus removal necessary to meet the new limit. He also reported that PFOS testing, required since May 2024, has produced results well below DNR limits and that the DNR recommended lowering sampling from six to four times per year; a public notice was published April 30 and the modified permit will proceed if there are no objections during the 30-day comment window.
On effluent quality, Mark said total suspended solids (TSS) limits were exceeded in July and August after construction required an alternate sampling location that concentrated solids and produced unrepresentative results. "The alternate sampling point unfortunately concentrated solids and gave higher than representative results," he said, and added the DNR accepted that explanation and required no enforcement action. The TSS category generated 20 demerit points and carries a section grade of C; the overall CMAIR grade reported was 3.73.
On biosolids and operations, Mark said the plant produced about 5.9 million gallons of biosolids in 2025 that were land-applied to 422 acres and met high-quality Class B standards. He reported no vacant operator positions during 2025, noted robust preventive maintenance and certifications, and said the plant exceeds DNR backup OIC requirements.
Financially, Mark said revenue covered operations and maintenance. He noted the DNR recommends $1.847 million in the equipment-replacement fund; Marshfield had roughly $3.431 million at the end of 2025, which staff said should be sufficient for upcoming capital projects.
Committee member Jan moved to accept the report and the recommended council comment on the TSS issue; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. Jan and others praised plant staff for their operation of the facility. The board directed staff to submit the accepted report and comment to the Wisconsin DNR as required.
The board ction was recorded as an approval of the resolution related to the CMAIR; the transcript references "Resolution 2026-10" at introduction and later uses "2026-20" in the recommended language. That discrepancy is noted in staff minutes and will be clarified in the council cover memo before DNR submission.
