Wastewater Utility

Returns all consumed water within the City of Whitewater back into the environment in a responsible fashion that meets or exceeds State and Federal regulations. In order to do so, utility staff is tasked with maintaining and operating the public conveyance system or the "collection system" along with the treatment facility and its associated programs.  

Our mission is to efficiently operate and maintain all aspects of the Wastewater Utility in a manner that is consistent with best environmental practices while also meeting or exceeding regulatory compliance standards. Our additional duty is to respond in a prompt, courteous and professional manner when dealing with the sanitary customers of the City of Whitewater.

The wastewater facility was built at its current location in 1982. Previously, it had been located where the current Department of Public Works is now located. The facility has an exceptional track record of quality effluent.   

Our facility completed a $20.7 million upgrade in 2018. We replaced the secondary treatment process and addressed numerous infrastructure deficiencies. These upgrades will provide reliable treatment services and protect the environment for the next 20 years and beyond.  

In the United States, including Whitewater, many of us take for granted the flow of water in and out of our homes and businesses. We have access to safe, clean water and sanitation services by simply turning on a faucet or flushing a toilet. We tend to forget about the vast infrastructure beneath our feet. The community of Whitewater is built on this infrastructure and wouldn't be possible without it. The Wastewater Utility's main responsibility is to collect and treat our city's sanitary sewage according to strict environmental regulations set forth by the State and Department of Natural Resources.

Our facility has an exceptional track record of quality effluent. The facility has a design capacity of 3.65 MGD (millions gallons per day). However, this past year the facility operated at an average flow of 1.67 MGD. Strict effluent regulations are met on a daily basis in compliance with our WPDES permit.

The wastewater department operates under the direct supervision of the wastewater superintendent. We are currently staffed by five wastewater certified field operators. All operators, including the superintendent, are certified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and maintain their certification through continuing education. Our skilled and highly motivated staff strives to maintain maximum standards of community health and safety while protecting and preserving the environment and our water resources.

The responsibilities of the department are the operation, maintenance and repair of the entire wastewater infrastructure systems and facilities. This includes a wastewater treatment plant that consists of a preliminary treatment building, primary pump building, secondary pump building, filter building, digester building and eight (8) wastewater lift stations located within the city. Along with these facilities mentioned, the department maintains, repairs and upgrades the city's sewer mains and manholes. They monitor and record data and perform wastewater testing daily as part of the stringent stipulations required at the local, state and federal level. Other duties include Diggers Hotline locates and daily inspection of the treatment plant.