Public Works, Utilities & Garbage
The DPW ‘s responsibilities includes, but are not limited to: maintenance of +/- 40 miles of streets, including sidewalk maintenance, snow plowing, and leaf pickup; parks maintenance, buildings and grounds; wastewater and stormwater mains and conveyance; trail maintenance, forestry, and compost activities.
The Water Utility, also a division of the Public Works, is operated and maintained by a lead and assistant water operator, a utility clerk, and managed by the Administrator of Public Works. Currently, the utility supplies water to approximately 1,100 resdiential customers, 200 commercial customers, 30 industrial customers and 15 public authority customers.
Refuse and recycling for residential single family, duplex, 3-unit, and 4-unit facilities are contracted through IROW of Mosinee.
Stormwater & Educational Outreach
The Village of Rothschild Stormwater program is permitted under the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System - otherwise known as an MS4.
The MS4 permits require municipalities to reduce polluted storm water runoff by implementing storm water management programs with best management practices. The MS4 permits usually do not contain numerical effluent limits like other WPDES permits.
Municipal storm water management programs cover a wide array of activities that occur within a municipality. The Village of Rothschild is a member of the North Central Wisconsin Stormwater Coalition, or NCWSC, which encompasses Marathon County; the Cities of Baraboo, Marshfield, Merrill, Mosinee, Schofield, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids; the Villages of Kronenwetter, Rothschild and Weston; and the Town of Rib Mountain have formed the North Central Wisconsin Stormwater Coalition. The Coalition is working to address stormwater issues in North Central Wisconsin. Stormwater is water that accumulates on land as a result of storms and can include runoff from urban areas such as roads and roofs. More information can be found at http://www.ncwrpc.org/NCWSC/.
Rothschild MS4 Annual Report
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/stormwater/data/Municipal/
WDNR TMDL Study Update.
Wisconsin River TMDL moves forward to EPA
Review expected to begin after federal government reopens
After completion of a public hearing process, the Wisconsin River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study was sent to U.S. EPA in late December. Comments received during the public hearing process were considered and incorporated into the submittal package, specifically in appendices Q and R. A copy of the report and supporting materials can be found at the DNR Department’s website. Appendix N, which outlines agricultural phosphorus targets, has been updated to reflect some anomalies found based on slopes and other input values. In most instances, these updates have resulted in higher targets over those outlined in the public hearing draft.
The Wisconsin River TMDL area spans Wisconsin’s central corridor covering 9,156 square miles. The study, addressing water quality impairments stemming from phosphorus, was a multi-year study that examined phosphorus loads from municipal, industrial, and agricultural sources. Detailed watershed and lake models were developed to simulate phosphorus loadings and their impacts on receiving waters. As part of this analysis, it was determined that site-specific criteria (SSC) for phosphorus are appropriate for Petenwell and Castle Rock Flowages, the two largest reservoirs on the Wisconsin River and whose water quality problems were the primary motivation for the development of the TMDL. The development of SSC for these reservoirs, along with SSC for Lake Wisconsin, must be done through the rulemaking process and is expected to be adopted in late 2019.
The development of both the TMDL and SSC were conducted jointly with stakeholder groups and EPA. Everything from collecting water quality samples to evaluating water quality models involved Department staff and partners, specifically UW Stevens’ Point, members of Petenwell and Castle Rock Stewards, and modeling experts with HDR, Inc.
Since the Department worked collaboratively with EPA throughout the TMDL development process, the Department expects an approval. EPA’s review of the TMDL submittal is expected to begin once the federal government shutdown ends. Once approved, point source permits must be issued consistent with the TMDL. In the meantime, the Department will continue to issue permits consistent with current regulations. Pat Oldenburg, a DNR water resource engineer, is leading the project and will help shepherd ongoing implementation activities.
Timothy Vergara, P.E., Administrator of Public Works
Office: 715-359-3660
Bobby Smith, DPW Working Supervisor
Cell: 715-302-1772
Chris Erickson, Assistant DPW Supervisor
Cell: 715-218-3217
Rick Stoviak, Lead Water Operator
Cell: 715-302-0707
Craig Groshek, Assistant Water Operator
Cell: 715-573-7123