Chapter 281

281.49(1)(m) (m) “Septage” means the scum, liquid, sludge or other waste from a septic tank, soil absorption field, holding tank or privy. This term does not include the waste from a grease interceptor.

281.49(2) (2) Requirement to treat septage. A municipal sewage system shall accept and treat septage from a licensed disposer during the period of time commencing on November 15 and ending on April 15. The sewage system may, but is not required to, accept and treat septage at other times during the year.

281.49(3) (3) Exceptions.

281.49(3)(a) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (2), a municipal sewage system is not required to accept septage from a licensed disposer if:

281.49(3)(a)1. 1. Treatment of the septage would cause the sewage system to exceed its operating design capacity or to violate any applicable effluent limitations or standards, water quality standards or any other legally applicable requirements, including court orders or state or federal statutes, rules, regulations or orders;

281.49(3)(a)2. 2. The septage is not compatible with the sewage system;

281.49(3)(a)3. 3. The licensed disposer has not applied for and received approval under sub. (5) to dispose of septage in the sewage system or the licensed disposer fails to comply with the disposal plan; or

281.49(3)(a)4. 4. The licensed disposer fails to comply with septage disposal rules promulgated by the municipal sewage system.

281.49(3)(b) (b) The municipal sewage system shall accept that part of the total amount of septage offered for disposal which is not within the exceptions in par. (a).

281.49(4) (4) Priorities. If the municipal sewage system can accept some, but not all, of the septage offered for disposal, the municipal sewage system may accept septage which is generated within the sewage service area before accepting septage which is generated outside of the sewage service area.

281.49(5) (5) Disposal plan.

281.49(5)(a) (a) Each year a licensed disposer may apply to the municipal sewage system, prior to September 1, for permission to dispose of septage in the sewage system.

281.49(5)(b) (b) The municipal sewage system shall approve applications for septage disposal, or reject those applications which are within the exceptions in sub. (3), no later than October 1 of each year.

281.49(5)(c) (c) The municipal sewage system may impose reasonable terms and conditions for septage disposal including:

281.49(5)(c)1. 1. Specific quantities, locations, times and methods for discharge of septage into the sewage system.

281.49(5)(c)2. 2. Requirements to report the source and amount of septage placed in the sewage system.

281.49(5)(c)3. 3. Requirements to analyze septage characteristics under sub. (6).

281.49(5)(c)4. 4. Reasonable disposal fees that meet the requirements in sub. (10).

281.49(5)(d) (d) The municipal sewage system shall prepare a disposal plan for each licensed disposer whose application for septage disposal is approved. The disposal plan shall consist of the approved application and all terms and conditions imposed on the licensed disposer.

281.49(6) (6) Analysis of septage. The municipal sewage system may require the licensed disposer to analyze representative samples of septage placed in the sewage system in order to determine the characteristics of the septage and the compatibility of the septage with the municipal sewage system. The municipal sewage system may not require the analysis of septage from exclusively residential sources.

281.49(7) (7) Disposal facilities. A municipal sewage system which is required to accept and treat septage shall provide adequate facilities for the introduction of septage into the sewage system.

281.49(8) (8) Model regulation. The department shall prepare a model septage disposal regulation which may be used by municipal sewage systems in the implementation of this section.

281.49(9) (9) Land disposal not prohibited. This section shall not be construed as a prohibition of the land disposal of septage. The land disposal of septage is governed by s. 281.48.

281.49(10) (10) Septage disposal fees.

281.49(10)(a) (a) Disposal fees established by a municipal sewage system under sub. (5) (c) 4. for the disposal of septage introduced into the system by a licensed disposer may be based on only the following actual costs related to the disposal of the septage, as determined in accordance with a uniform cost accounting system applicable to all services provided by the system:

281.49(10)(a)1. 1. The cost of facilities at the system that receive and store septage.

281.49(10)(a)2. 2. The cost of any testing of septage conducted by the system.

281.49(10)(a)3. 3. The cost of treating septage by the system. This cost may vary based on the quantity and type of the septage.

281.49(10)(a)4. 4. The portion of the system’s additional administrative and personnel costs for accepting the septage not reflected in the costs identified in subds. 2. and 3.

281.49(10)(b) (b) In determining its actual costs under par. (a) 1. to 4., a municipal sewage system may include any associated cost of capital, debt service, operation, and maintenance, and any other type of cost used by a municipal sewage system in establishing fees for the treatment and disposal of sewage by its customers connected to the system.

281.49(11) (11) Review of septage disposal fees.

281.49(11)(a) (a) Each municipal sewage system shall establish a procedure to review a septage disposal fee charged by the system that is disputed by a licensed disposer.

281.49(11)(b) (b) Upon the request of a licensed disposer, a municipal sewage system shall use the procedure established by the system under par. (a) to review whether a septage disposal fee charged by the system for the quantity and type of septage specified by the licensed disposer conforms with sub. (5) (c) 4.

281.49(11)(c) (c) After pursuing the review of a septage disposal fee under par. (b), a licensed disposer may request the staff of the public service commission to informally review the disputed septage disposal fee. If the staff determine that there is sufficient basis for a dispute regarding the fee and that use of the procedure under par. (b) is not likely to resolve the dispute, the staff may agree to review the disputed septage disposal fee. Based on its review, the staff may recommend a reasonable septage disposal fee that conforms with sub. (5) (c) 4.

281.49(11)(d) (d) If the use of the procedure under par. (c) does not lead to resolution of the dispute, the licensed disposer requesting the review under par. (c) may make a written request to the public service commission for review of the disputed septage disposal fee under s. 66.0821 (5) or 200.59 (5).

281.49(11)(e) (e) Upon the request of a licensed disposer, or the public service commission or its staff, a municipal sewage system shall provide information to the requester concerning the basis of its septage disposal fees. A municipal sewage system shall provide to the public service commission or its staff any other information that the commission or its staff requests related to a review under par. (c) or (d).

281.49(12) (12) Notice of septage disposal increases. Each municipal sewage system shall notify each licensed disposer currently approved under sub. (5) (b) to dispose of septage in the system of any increase in a disposal fee applicable to the licensed disposer at least 60 days prior to imposing the increased disposal fee. The notice shall include a description of how the system calculated the new disposal fee.

281.49 History History: 1983 a. 410; 1989 a. 31, 359; 1995 a. 227 s. 409; Stats. 1995 s. 281.49; 2005 a. 347; 2009 a. 180.

281.49 Note NOTE: 2005 Wis. Act 347, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

subch. V of ch. 281 SUBCHAPTER V

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

281.51 281.51 Financial assistance program; local water quality planning.

281.51(1) (1) Definitions. As used in this section:

281.51(1)(a) (a) “Designated local agency” means the designated local agency under section 208 of the federal act.

281.51(1)(b) (b) “Federal act” means the federal water pollution control act amendments of 1972, P.L. 92-500, 86 Stat. 816.

281.51(1)(c) (c) “Local governmental unit” means a political subdivision of this state, a special purpose district in this state, an instrumentality or corporation of such a political subdivision or special purpose district, a combination or subunit of any of the foregoing or an instrumentality of the state and any of the foregoing.

281.51(2) (2) State water quality planning assistance program; designated local agencies.

281.51(2)(a) (a) The department shall administer a program to provide state assistance to designated local agencies for water quality planning activities.

281.51(2)(b) (b) The department shall establish grant eligibility criteria for designated planning agencies seeking state assistance for water quality planning activities. The department shall consider the capacity of an agency to conduct areawide planning activities in establishing these eligibility criteria.

281.51(2)(c) (c) A designated planning agency may receive state assistance to conduct water quality planning activities if:

281.51(2)(c)1. 1. The designated planning agency agrees to provide planning matching funds. At a minimum, the department shall require the designated planning agency to agree to provide planning matching funds in an amount equal to the state assistance. The department may require the designated planning agency to agree to provide local matching funds in a higher amount.

281.51(2)(c)2. 2. The designated planning agency meets all grant eligibility criteria.

281.51(3) (3) State water quality planning assistance; other local governmental units. The department may provide financial assistance for water quality planning activities to local governmental units that are not designated local agencies.

281.51 History History: 1979 c. 221; 1985 a. 29; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 227 s. 423; Stats. 1995 s. 281.51.

281.53 281.53 Municipal clean drinking water grants.

281.53(1) (1) The department may award a municipal clean drinking water grant, from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tb), to a municipality for capital costs to achieve compliance with standards for contaminants established by the department by rule under the safe drinking water program under s. 281.17 (8), if the municipality is not in compliance with those standards on or after April 1, 1990, if the municipality incurs the capital costs after January 1, 1989, and if the violation of the standards for contaminants occurs in a public water system owned by the municipality.

281.53(2) (2) The department shall approve grants under this section equal to 90 percent of the amount by which the reasonable and necessary capital costs of achieving compliance with the standards for contaminants exceed an amount equal to $25 times the population that is served by the contaminated public water system for which a grant is sought if the reasonable and necessary capital costs of achieving compliance with those standards are an amount equal to an amount that is greater than $150 times the population that is served by the contaminated water system.

281.53(3) (3) The department shall rank applicants for grants under this section on the basis of the severity of risk to human health posed by each applicant’s violation of the standards for contaminants. If insufficient funds are available for providing grants to eligible municipalities, the department shall allocate grants based on the severity of risk to human health.

281.53(4) (4) The department shall promulgate rules for the administration of the program under this section that include the establishment of which capital costs are eligible for reimbursement and the method for ranking applicants under sub. (3).

281.53 History History: 1989 a. 366; 1991 a. 32; 1995 a. 227 s. 399; Stats. 1995 s. 281.53; 1995 a. 378 s. 44; 1997 a. 35.

281.55 281.55 Financial assistance program.

281.55(1) (1) The legislature finds that state financial assistance for the construction and financing of pollution prevention and abatement facilities is a public purpose and a proper state government function in that the state is trustee of the waters of the state and that such financial assistance is necessary to protect the purity of state waters.

281.55(2) (2) In order that the construction of pollution prevention and abatement facilities necessary to the protection of state waters be encouraged, a state program of assistance to municipalities and school districts for the financing of such facilities is established and a program of state advances in anticipation of federal aid reimbursement is established to meet the state’s water quality standards. These state programs shall be administered by the department of natural resources and the department shall make such rules as are necessary for the proper execution of the state program.

281.55(2m) (2m) In this section “estimated reasonable costs” include the costs of preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering feasibility of pollution prevention and abatement facilities, the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal and economic investigations and studies, surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, procedures and other action necessary to the construction of pollution prevention and abatement facilities and the erection, building, acquisition, alteration, remodeling, improvement or extension of pollution prevention and abatement facilities and the inspection and supervision of the construction of pollution prevention and abatement facilities.

281.55(3) (3) 

281.55(3)(a) (a) The department shall establish criteria to determine those municipalities and school districts and projects which are eligible for the state program and to determine appropriate priorities among the projects.

281.55(3)(c) (c) All municipalities and school districts are eligible for agreements under sub. (6) (b) based on the criteria in this paragraph. The criteria shall consider the health hazards of existing conditions, the extent and nature of pollution, per capita costs of the project, property valuation of the municipalities or school districts as equalized by the state, income of the residents in the municipalities or school districts, the availability of federal funds for the project, soil conditions, the feasibility and practicality of the project, the borrowing capacity of the municipality or school district and any other factors which the department considers important. Municipalities or school districts commencing projects but not completed prior to January 18, 1970, shall be deemed eligible for agreements under sub. (6) (b). School district projects are not eligible if the project is located within the corporate limits of a city or of a village with an operating municipal sewage system.

281.55(4) (4) Municipalities or school districts which desire to participate in the state program shall submit application for participation to the department. The application shall be in such form and include such information as the department prescribes.

281.55(5) (5) The department shall review applications for participation in the state program. It shall determine those applications which meet the criteria it established under sub. (3), and shall arrange the applications in appropriate priority order.

281.55(6) (6) The department may enter into agreement with municipalities and school districts to provide state assistance for the financing of those pollution prevention and abatement facilities projects it approves under sub. (5).

281.55(6)(b) (b) The department may enter into agreements with municipalities and school districts to make payments to them from the appropriations made by s. 20.866 (2) (tm).

281.55(6)(b)1. 1. These payments shall not exceed 50 percent of the approved project in conjunction with the state program of advancement in anticipation of federal reimbursement under sub. (2). To provide for the financing of pollution prevention and abatement facilities, the natural resources board, with the approval of the governor, subject to the limits of s. 20.866 (2) (tm) may direct that state debt be contracted as set forth in subd. 2. and subject to the limits set therein. Said debts shall be contracted for in the manner and form as the legislature hereafter prescribes.

281.55(6)(b)2. 2. It is the intent of the legislature that state debt not to exceed $150,850,000 in the 10-year period from 1969 to 1979 may be incurred for state water pollution and abatement assistance.

281.55(6)(e) (e) The department shall review and approve the plans and specifications of all facilities designed and constructed by agreement under this section.

281.55(7) (7) This section shall be construed liberally in aid of the purposes declared in sub. (1).

281.55(8) (8) After June 30, 1979, the department may not enter into any agreements or contracts under sub. (6) (b), but the department shall continue to make payments on existing agreements and contracts until the terms of the agreements and contracts are fully satisfied.

281.55 History History: 1971 c. 95; 1975 c. 39 s. 734; 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 34 ss. 974 to 976, 2102 (39) (a); 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 269; 1995 a. 227 s. 421; Stats. 1995 s. 281.55.

281.55 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. NR 125, Wis. adm. code.

281.56 281.56 Financial assistance program; sewerage systems.

281.56(1) (1) The financial assistance program established under this section is to be used only if the applicant is unable to receive assistance in a timely manner from the federal government and supplementary funding program established under s. 281.55. Receipt of aid under this section makes the applicant ineligible for aid under s. 281.55.

281.56(2) (2) There is established a state program of assistance to municipalities and unincorporated areas for the purpose of financing the construction of water pollution abatement and sewage collection systems. The program shall be administered by the department which shall make such rules as are necessary for the proper execution of the program.

281.56(3) (3) 

281.56(3)(a) (a) The department shall establish criteria to determine those municipalities and projects which are eligible for the state program and to determine appropriate priorities by rule among the projects.

281.56(3)(b) (b) All municipalities having a population of less than 10,000 are eligible for agreements under sub. (6) based on the criteria in this paragraph. The criteria shall consider the health hazards of existing conditions, the adequacy of the existing water pollution abatement system, per capita costs of the project, property valuation of the municipalities as equalized by the state, income of the residents in the municipalities, the availability of federal funds for the project and the borrowing capacity of the municipality. Highest priority shall initially be given to projects which have completed all necessary planning and engineering and any other factors which the department considers important. Municipalities commencing projects not completed prior to June 29, 1974 are eligible for agreements under sub. (6).

281.56(4) (4) Municipalities which desire to participate in the state program shall submit application for participation to the department. The application shall be in such form and include such information as the department prescribes.

281.56(5) (5) The department shall review applications for participation in the state program. It shall determine those applications which meet the criteria it established under sub. (3) and shall arrange the applications in appropriate priority order.

281.56(6) (6) 

281.56(6)(a) (a) Upon approval of an application, the department may enter into an agreement with the municipality to pay from the appropriation under s. 20.866 (2) (tm) an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the estimated reasonable costs of the approved project. The agreement shall be for such duration and subject to such terms as the department may prescribe. The department shall not grant any municipality more than 10 percent of the funds available under s. 20.866 (2) (tm) for a given year.

281.56(6)(b) (b) In this subsection “estimated reasonable costs” include the costs of preliminary planning to determine the economic and engineering feasibility of a proposed sewerage system, the engineering, architectural, legal, fiscal and economic investigations and studies, surveys, designs, plans, working drawings, specifications, procedures and other action necessary to the construction of the project and the erection, building, acquisition, alteration, remodeling, improvement or extension of system facilities and the inspection and supervision of the construction of such facilities.