South-Central Communities Cooperate In Fight For Clean Lakes

Madison and several surrounding communities are banding together to reduce phosphorus in the Yahara Watershed.

The collaboration includes 23 municipalities in three counties in south-central Wisconsin, planning to spend an estimated $104 million to bring down the level of phosphorus in stormwater and manure runoff from cities and farms. Also included will be discharge water coming from wastewater treatment facilities and industry, according to Tom Hovel from the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.

“These sources typically work independently,” Hovel said. “The result is (phosphorus reduction measures) are expensive to implement, narrow in geographic scope and sometimes lack the coordination to meet overall water quality objectives for the entire watershed.”

Phosphorus spurs the growth of weeds and algae and can harm aquatic life, creating so-called “dead zones.”

Project supporters say preventing phosphorus from getting in the chain of lakes will be less costly than upgrading sewer treatment plants to remove pollutants with expensive filtration systems.

Tom Wilson is attorney and administrator for the town of Westport, one of the communities involved in the first pilot project to improve water quality.

“If we don’t have this partnership we’re looking at paying for brick and mortar improvements at Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District plus brick and mortar improvements in the town of Westport so that we meet (state) permit requirements,” Wilson said.

The collaboration will last 20 years. Every 5 years partners will have the chance to opt out.

The Sewerage District’s Hovell said the large collaboration is the first water quality project of its kind in the nation.