Mosinee wants to send sewage elsewhere

MOSINEE, Wis. (WSAU) – What you flush down the toilet in Mosinee may soon go to a treatment plant in Rib Mountain.

The City Council voted unanimously last month to pursue joining the Rib Mountain Metropolitan Sewage District. City leaders will work out terms of the agreement and have to formally petition to join the district before they can send their sewage to the plant.

But the move will cost the city an estimated $9 million - $3.3 million to join and $5.7 million to build a force main system that will connect the city's pipes to the district's network.

Mosinee will likely pay for the project with state and federal loans. It will raise sewer rates to help pay off that debt.

Customers currently pay $21 in service charges plus $3.70 per 1,000 gallons of water used. The service charge is expected to increase to $22.05 and the price per 1,000 gallons of water used will go up to $8.12.

The move will help the city comply with new federal standards regulating ammonia-nitrogen discharge of treated municipal wastewater into the Wisconsin River. The city has until July 2011 to reach compliance.

Joining the district will also give the city some long-term insurance since rehabilitating their existing treatment plant will only last for 20 years. The district provides the city with a 40-year option.