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Waukesha wastewater plant earns A in all 10 CMAR categories; board forwards report to council
Summary
Waukesha’s Clean Water Plant scored A across all 10 categories in the 2024 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report; staff told the Board of Public Works the plant had two minor incidents last year and that reserves of about $3.6 million are being held as a DNR‑required equipment replacement minimum while a recently awarded ~$19 million project will draw on other clean‑water funds.
Zach Eisner, manager of Waukesha’s Clean Water Plant, told the Board of Public Works on June 5 that the plant earned an A in all 10 categories of the 2024 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
“I’m happy to report for the 9th year in a row. We scored an A on all 10 categories,” Zach Eisner said, summarizing the report of the plant’s water quality, biosolids management, preventive maintenance, staffing, collection systems and financial management.
Board members asked how unusual an all‑A result is statewide and pressed staff on financial reserves and future capital needs. Eisner said he did not have statewide comparison figures on hand and deferred to the DNR for that context. He described two limited incidents in 2024: a roughly 50‑gallon overflow and a missed six‑month phosphorus average caused by short, high‑concentration “slug” influent events that skew a multi‑month average.
Board members also discussed the plant’s equipment replacement fund. One member noted the fund balance appears to be about $3,600,000 and asked why only about $40,000 was used during the year. Eisner said the fund level is set as a percentage of the plant’s infrastructure under DNR guidance and must be maintained to respond to emergencies. He said the $3.6 million functions as a required minimum reserve and that larger planned spending will come from other clean‑water cash reserves.
Staff told the board that a recently awarded project—about $19,000,000—includes many equipment replacement items and will draw down other capital funds rather than the DNR‑required reserve. On future initiatives, the board and staff agreed section 4 of the report represents planning, not a binding commitment; biogas purification work remains under consideration and may be reanalyzed in 2029 if technology improves.
Members asked about phosphorus targets at the plant’s outfalls. Staff said the Root River outfall has a lower limit of 0.06 milligrams per liter and that the plant generally meets those targets except when short spikes occur in the influent.
Joe Piper moved to accept the 2024 CMAR and recommend it to the Common Council; the motion was seconded and carried.
The board forwarded the CMAR recommendation to the council; staff said they will return with details on planned project budgeting and any required council approvals.
