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Last week's edition

About this Newsletter

May 23, 2005

Latest postings:

• AZ: Northern Arizona Municipal Water Users Association: Program Administrator
• AZ: Yavapai County Board of Supervisors: Water Advisory Coordinator
• CA: Sonoma County Water Agency: Assistant Engineer/Engineer
• CA: Contra Costa Water District: Real Property Agent
• ID: City of Boise: Civil Engineer
• NV: Washoe County: Utility Operations Manager
• SC: Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority: Water Operator II or III

Want more? See all postings.

National/International News

—  Great Lakes News

• Attend the IJC's Great Lakes Conference and Biennial Meeting
  (CNW Group, 05/17) June 9-11. "The International Joint Commission (IJC) is calling on the public to help shape the review of the Great Lakes Water
  Quality Agreement at its 2005 Great Lakes Conference and Biennial Meeting."
  
  
• Changing budgets, policies threaten water quality
  (Detroit Free Press, 05/16) Editorial. "In a state as defined by its lakes as Michigan is, the ripple effects of federal action on water quality can build to mighty effect. Goals for the Great Lakes will never be achieved if current trends continue to diminish both the dollars and the policies aimed at long-term improvement."
  
  
• Michigan's Lt. Gov. Cherry elected vice chair of Great Lakes panel
  (Flint Journal, 05/14) "Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry Jr. will serve as vice chairman of the Great Lakes Commission, a public agency with members from eight states and two Canadian provinces."
  

—  Water Supply

• Major push for desal anticipated in 109th Congress
  (U.S. Desalination Council News Release, 05/20) "Legislation to increase the federal government’s role in developing desalination plants as part of a solution to America’s growing water supply crisis has been introduced for the first time in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), it was announced."
  
  
• Senate bill addresses rural drinking water needs
  (AWWA WaterWeek, 05/18) "Testifying before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources May 11, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner John W. Keyes III expressed the administration's support for a 'Reclamation rural water program with adequate controls and guidelines,' as outlined in S. 895, The Rural Water Supply Act of 2005."
  
  
• Record rains keep Northwest seasonally off-balanced
  (Oregonian, 05/17) "A potent, winterlike storm is expected to hit much of Oregon and Southwest Washington today and Wednesday, helping the region continue in its recovery from an unusually dry winter."
  

—  Water Quality

• Researchers: Water treatment process a potential risk
  (Raleigh News & Observer, 05/18) "A combination of chemicals used in hundreds of water-treatment systems across the country could cause lead to leach into drinking water from plumbing, UNC-Asheville researchers say."
  
  
• Ontario public health units to monitor small drinking systems
  (Canadian Press, 05/17) "Public health units in Ontario will take over responsibility for monitoring drinking-water safety at places such as churches, campgrounds, gas stations and community halls under legislative changes announced Tuesday."
  
  
• Quebec officials can't link water to cancer cases
  (CBC News, 05/17) "Public health officials say they cannot link cases of cancer in the town of Shannon, Que., to contamination in the local water supply. High concentrations of contaminants have been found in the town's water supply near the Valcartier miltary base."
  
  
• Ninety percent of US systems meet standards
  (EPA News Release, 05/16) "Ninety percent of the 272 million people served by 53,000 community water systems across the country received water that met health-based drinking water standards in fiscal year 2004."
  

—  Water Resources

• Chemical leak taints canal water at Utah plant
  (Deseret News, 05/19) "Hazardous materials crews spent the night monitoring a corrosive chemical leak that left thousands of gallons of water contaminated and unfit for use, even by wildlife."
  
  
• All states to share in water quality monitoring funds
  (EPA News Release, 05/18) Scroll Down. "Every state will get additional water quality monitoring funds as a result of an EPA decision to target a $9.92 million increase in fiscal year 2005 water pollution control grants for these activities."
  
  
• Oil spill funds will be empty by 2009
  (ENN, 05/17) "The federal fund used to clean up oil spills nationwide will be drained by 2009, in part because cleanups cost more than authorities collect from those responsible, according to a Coast Guard study released Monday."
  
  
• Trinity River rises to reclaim its past
  (LA Times, 05/16) "A series of short siren blasts signaled a climactic moment in a decades-long battle over the Trinity River, which, like so many rivers in California, has lost much of its water, its fish and its freedom."
  
  
• Devils Lake, Rice must seek bilateral review
  (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 05/16) Editorial. "As early as next month, North Dakota may be ready to start lowering Devils Lake by pumping excess water into Canada."
  

—  Stormwater

• Record $38M earmarked for Sacramento, Calif., flooding
  (Sacramento Business Journal, 05/17) "The projects, which include raising the height of Folsom Dam and levee repairs on both the Sacramento and American rivers, are intended to bring the Sacramento area up to a 100-year flood protection level."
  

—  Wastewater

• U.S. EPA rethinks allowing partial treatment of sewage
  (Toledo Blade, 05/20) "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency yesterday backed off a controversial plan that could have saved municipalities nationwide billions of dollars by letting them discharge a 'blend' of partially treated sewage with that which has undergone full treatment after heavy rains."
  
   
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Blending policy revisited
  (U.S. Newswire, 05/19) Press Release. "Based on review of all public comments and congressional hearings, EPA will not finalize the sewage blending policy as proposed in November 2003."
  
   
• EPA rescinds sewage dumping plan
  (Detroit News, 05/20) "Michigan environmentalists are cheering a federal decision Thursday to back away from a plan that would have allowed communities to dump partially treated sewage into waterways during heavy rains."
  
  
• Florida sewage-spill data criticized
  (Miami Herald, 05/19) "Nearly 56 million gallons of sewage spilled into Florida's waterways and neighborhoods last year, an environmental group said Wednesday, as it called for a standardized statewide reporting system to better track such spills."
  
  
• Report: Midwest cities' sewer problems cause contamination
  (Waste News, 05/18) "Untreated sewage is contaminating lakes and waterways in six states in the upper Midwest because cities and towns are failing to stop sewer overflows, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project and other environmental groups."
  

—  Hazardous/Toxic Waste

• DuPont receives subpoena over chemical
  (Reuters, 05/19) "DuPont Co. the No. 2 U.S. chemicals maker, on Thursday said it received a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking documents about its chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an essential ingredient in making Teflon nonstick coatings."
  
  
• Fuel leaks leave North Dakota landowners in toxic limbo
  (Georgia Straight, 05/19) "Almost immediately after the pump was turned on at PW-1, people knew something was wrong. Local residents complained that their drinking water smelled strange, like lighter fluid."
  
  
• Toxic releases decline, but worst soups persist
  (Christian Science Monitor, 05/17) "The good news about toxic pollutants in the air, soil, and water is that overall levels are coming down. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency some of the most toxic substances - mercury, dioxin, lead, and PCBs - remain an increasing problem."
  

—  Air Quality

• Eleven states sue over mercury policy
  (Reuters, 05/19) "Eleven states, including California, sued the Bush administration Wednesday to block new rules allowing coal-burning utilities to trade rights to emit toxic mercury, adding to a flurry of lawsuits challenging the regulations."
  
  
• Pennsylvania targets toxic mercury emissions
  (Uniontown Herald Standard, 05/19) "Pennsylvania is trailblazing its own way to regulate toxic mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants because of insufficient action at the federal level, state environmental officials said Wednesday."
  

—  Everything Else

• Water, wastewater plants join Energy Star initiative
  (EPA News Release, 05/18) "U.S. drinking water and wastewater plants are joining a new EPA initiative to increase their energy efficiency and reduce municipalities' electric bills."
  

Illinois

—  Water Supply

• Chatham, Rochester end water board
  (Springfield State Journal-Register, 05/20) "Chatham and Rochester have dissolved a commission set up four years ago to look into building a water plant that would have been jointly owned by the two villages."
  
  

• Water in Peoria smells, but it's OK
  (Peoria Journal Star, 05/18) "If you've noticed that the tap water in some sections of Peoria smells and tastes a little musty, your imagination is not in overdrive."
  
  

• Pekin water customers asked for support
  (Peoria Journal Star, 05/18) "An Illinois-American Water Co. letter mailed last week to its Pekin customers asks for the public's support in urging the City Council to end ongoing legal appeals against them."
  
  

• Eureka approves water work
  (Bloomington Pantagraph, 05/17) "The City Council approved issuing $1.4 million in bonds to replace up to five miles of water lines, some of which are 80 years old."
  
  

• New Charleston Water plant goes online
  (Coles County Leader, 05/15) "When you spend more than $9 million and have a state-of-the-art system, you want to show it off. Especially if it improves the lives of everyone in town."
  

—  Water Resources

• State agencies say foam in Ogle County's Rock River natural
  (Rockford Register Star, 05/18) "Bait shop owners Tim and Jan Prose were bothered by the unsightly white, frothy foam that covered the Rock River near their dock and the flathead catfish taken to their shop with patches of skin missing."
  
  
• Decatur's Dreamland Lake restoration nears finish
  (Decatur Herald & Review, 05/18) "Eight-year-old Ben Grandon didn't waste any time casting his bait into Dreamland Lake in Fairview Park, even though it is not officially open."
  
  
• Sun, sand and testing beaches for bacteria
  (Columbia Chronicle, 05/17) "Every summer, tourists and residents alike head to Chicago’s downtown coastline to enjoy Lake Michigan’s beaches. However, in their search for sun and sand, many encounter something more unwelcome: E. coli bacteria."
  

—  Wastewater

• City sewer systems pollute Great Lakes
  (Chicago Sun-Times, 05/18) "Sewage is fouling the Great Lakes because many municipal waste systems are failing to stop overflows, environmental groups said in a report Tuesday."
  
  
• Pontiac gets loan for sewer line
  (Pontiac Daily Leader, 05/17) "A long-anticipated sewer line along Route 23 north of Pontiac could be operational by the end of the year, the City Council heard Monday."
  

—  Landfill/Solid Waste

• McLean Co. OKs expanding Bloomington landfill
  (Bloomington Pantagraph, 05/18) "The McLean County Board voted on Tuesday to allow for the expansion of Allied Waste Industries' McLean Landfill."
  

Indiana

—  Water Supply

• Brownsburg officials to consider extending water services
  (Indianapolis Star, 05/18) "Poor drainage, overflowing septic systems and a foul odor on rainy days continue to plague a cluster of neighborhoods north of Brownsburg."
  
  
• Columbia City water project delayed
  (Columbia City Post & Mail, 05/17) "The Columbia City Board of Works decided to postpone consideration of the South Line Street water project for one year."
  
  
• Major water project in Vanderburgh County well under way
  (Evansville Courier & Press, 05/16) "Motorists passing by U.S. 41 and Boonville-New Harmony Road might be curious about the heavy equipment and the large pieces of pipe on the ground there recently."
  
  
• Valpo water plant named in honor of workers
  (NWI Times, 05/16) "A father and son who worked for the city's water department for a total of 52 years were honored this week when the new Flint Lake water treatment plant was named after them."
  

—  Water Resources

• New coordinator for White River watershed hired
  (Muncie Star Press, 05/15) "Angie Brown, a former interpretive naturalist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, was hired recently to take over the job of watershed coordinator for the White River Watershed Project."
  

—  Wastewater

• Opposition to wastewater project heard by Fort Branch board
  (Princeton Daily Clarion, 05/19) "Residents took another turn at voicing their displeasure with the plan for upgrades of the town's wastewater treatment Wednesday, even as the town board passed resolutions approving the preliminary plan for the project."
  
  
• State plumbs backlog of sewer plans
  (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 05/18) "Faced with an ambitious federal deadline for approving plans to fix Indiana’s overflow-prone sewers, a state agency is beefing up the number of staffers assigned to tackle a backlog of nearly 100 sewer cleanup plans."
  
  
• Porter sounds conciliatory sewage note
  (NWI TImes, 05/18) "A day after the Chesterton Utility Service Board delivered a strong rebuff to Porter's announced intention to acquire Chesterton's sewage treatment plant, the Porter Town Council president was sounding a note of reconciliation."
  
  
• Hanover wastewater treatment plant completed
  (Madison Courier, 05/17) "It was a beautiful day in Hanover on Monday. The trees around the wastewater treatment plant offered a vibrant green against the bright blue sky."
  

—  Air Quality

• Vectren to reduce pollution
  (Evansville Courier & Press, 05/18) "Vectren Corp. plans to spend $110 million to reduce pollution at its power plants, and the expenditure would cause typical residential electric bills to rise 6 percent to 8 percent over many years."
  
  
• Air report has good news and bad news
  (Indianapolis Star, 05/18) "Toxic air pollution released by major Indianapolis-area industries increased just more than 1 percent in 2003, according to newly released federal data, but still was about 21 percent lower than in 1999."
  

—  Everything Else

• Crothersville OKs water, sewer work
  (Jackson County Tribune, 05/17) "Town council should receive permission from the Department of Commerce to award an $863,000 water and sewer project to Mitchell and Stark of Medora in time to officially award the contract at the board’s regular June meeting."
  

Michigan

—  Water Supply

• Pipeline to Huron cost put at $835M
  (Flint Journal, 05/19) "Building a new water pipeline to Lake Huron would cost about $835 million, nearly three times more than any previous estimate - but it still would be cheaper in the long run than buying water from Detroit, says a draft report commissioned by county Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright."
  
  
• Environmentalists make new push for water protection
  (Detroit Free Press, 05/18) "Complaining of government foot-dragging, environmentalists offered a fresh set of proposals Wednesday for protecting Michigan waters, including permit requirements for large-scale withdrawals and limits on private water sales."
  
  
• Muskegon may extend water to residents near Nugent Sand
  (Muskegon Chronicle, 05/17) "The city of Muskegon may extend a waterline into the Idlewild area of Norton Shores, where residents' wells have been badly polluted for more than a decade."
  
  
• Saginaw's odd-even water use rules start on June 1
  (Saginaw News, 05/16) "The Saginaw municipal water system's seventh annual 'odd-even' format for water conservation begins Wednesday, June 1, and continues through the end of August."
  

—  Water Resources

• Environmentalists seek to stop Saginaw dredging spoils dump site
  (Bay City Times, 05/18) "Environmentalists are turning to a judge to fight the construction of a disposal site for river dredging spoils on the Saginaw-Bay county line."
  
  
• State agencies protect lakes
  (Kalamazoo Gazette, 05/15) "Michigan has two agencies in which the quality of its lakes primarily rests: the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Natural Resources."
  
  
• Scio Twp. acts to protect small-scale wetlands
  (Ann Arbor News, 05/15) "Scio Township has become the eighth township in Washtenaw County to pass an ordinance protecting wetlands from development."
  

—  Wastewater

• Sewer problem tops the list for Brighton Twp. manager
  (Detroit News, 05/15) "David M. Murphy already has put sewers down on his agenda as he settles into his new job as Brighton Township manager. The controversial expanded sewer system has not yet added enough residents to cover its costs and is operating at a deficit."
  

—  Hazardous/Toxic Waste

• Toxic releases dropped in Michigan in 2003
  (Detroit Free Press, 05/16) "Total releases of toxic chemicals in Michigan declined by 24 percent in the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report."
  

—  Landfill/Solid Waste

• Abandoned dump in Auburn Hills cleaned up, redeveloped
  (Detroit News, 05/18) "Where others saw a forsaken garbage dump, Indianapolis developer John Urbahns saw the future home of a $150 million redevelopment project."
  

—  Brownfields

• Washtenaw County awarded EPA grant to assess brownfields
  (Ann Arbor News, 05/14) "Washtenaw County will use a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to assess suspected petroleum-contaminated brownfield sites throughout the county."
  

—  Everything Else

• Grand Haven water, sewer increase will fund roads, sewers
  (Muskegon Chronicle, 05/17) "Grand Haven residents are about to pay more for water and sewer service to help improve the city's infrastructure."
  

Minnesota

—  Water Supply

• Fergus Falls water: Glass of heaven
  (Fergus Falls Daily Journal, 05/18) "On the highest hill in town, on the shores of Wright Lake, the Fergus Falls Water Treatment Plant is cleaning the city's drinking water."
  
  
• Dakota County finds trouble in wells
  (Agri News, 05/17) "Pesticides and other contaminants that pose potential human health threats have been detected in 66 private drinking-water wells in Dakota County, authorities said."
  

—  Water Resources

• Burnsville residents get Keller Lake back
  (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 05/20) "Shortly after Jan Dawson and her husband moved to their waterfront home on Keller Lake in Burnsville 13 years ago, they bought a paddleboat."
  
  
• MCWD program will protect 'green infrastructure'
  (Golden Valley Sun Post, 05/19) "Land, as Will Rogers noted, is something they’re not making more of. That’s why it’s so important that we take care of what we have. It’s also increasingly clear that what happens on the land is a key factor in the health of our much loved wetlands, lakes and streams."
  
  
• Wetland filling gets Proctor man in trouble
  (Duluth News Tribune, 05/16) "Local, state and federal authorities are investigating Frank Debartolo, who has been dumping fill in his yard along Knowlton Creek."
  
  
• Hastings High students get into Vermillion River checkup
  (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 05/16) "Three Hastings High School students waded into the Vermillion River with measuring tapes and calculators, trying to find out whether this stretch of the river, off busy Hwy. 61 in Hastings, provides a good habitat for the creatures that live there."
  

—  Wastewater

• Brainerd, Baxter wastewater issues panel formed
  (Brainerd Dispatch, 05/19) "The cities of Brainerd and Baxter have formed a joint committee to address issues concerning the wastewater treatment facility expansion."
  
  
• Court ruling may stall expansion of Princeton wastewater plant
  (Princeton Union-Eagle, 05/19) "The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in favor of an environmental group that sued the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for granting Princeton a permit for the proposed expansion of the city’s wastewater treatment plant."
  
  
• Court rejects plan for Princeton treatment plant
  (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 05/18) "In a decision that strengthens Minnesota standards for protected waters, a three-judge panel of the Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected a proposal by the city of Princeton to build a new wastewater treatment plant that would send 2 million gallons of treated wastewater a day into the Rum River."
  
  
• Brainerd should be sole owner of expanded wastewater facility
  (Brainerd Dispatch, 05/18) "Staffers at Brainerd Public Utilities believe the city of Brainerd should retain sole ownership of the wastewater treatment facility when it is expanded."
  

—  Hazardous/Toxic Waste

• Pollution agency faces whistleblower complaint
  (St. Paul Pioneer Press, 05/17) "A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency research scientist has filed a whistleblower complaint against the agency and several managers, saying they have harassed her for raising concerns about troublesome chemicals used by 3M Co. in such popular consumer products as Scotchgard."
  

—  Manure Waste

• Farmer, neighbors clash over Lewiston hog farm
  (Winona Daily News, 05/19) "Some Lewiston area residents are mustering opposition to a hog farmer's plans to build a 2,100-hog feedlot northwest of the central Winona County town."
  

—  Everything Else

• Minnesota needs more investment in conservation
  (Walker Pilot-Independent, 05/19) Opinion. "May 5, the House passed its Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources bill. This bill continues to cut funding for the key conservation programs that protect Minnesota's outdoor heritage, and as three representatives from very different parts of the state, we joined many others to vote against it."
  

Ohio

—  Water Supply

• Xenia residents to discuss fluoridating water
  (Dayton Daily News, 05/20) "Xenia is among eight Miami Valley communities with unfluoridated public water systems."
  
   
• Village of Berkey OKs waterline plan
  (Toledo Blade, 05/20) "A plan that sets the path for the first pipeline to bring water to the village of Berkey and increases the cost of the project to serve more households was approved last night by Village Council."
  
  
• Barnesville seeks funds for water project
  (Martins Ferry Times Leader, 05/19) "Advertising for bids for an extensive slip repair on Railroad Street in Barnesville was authorized this week by village council, which also decided to seek funds for a water department project estimated at $548,000."
  
  
• Water flowing to N. Canton
  (Akron Beacon Journal, 05/18) "City residents are drinking water pumped from the well field north of the baseball fields on East Maple Street."
  

—  Water Resources

• Clintonville residents want to name creek through Walhalla
  (Columbus This Week, 05/19) "The creek that winds through Walhalla Ravine has no name. Not officially, anyway. And a group of Clintonville residents are trying to change that."
  
  
• Kent to focus on dam, Cuyahoga River
  (Akron Beacon Journal, 05/18) "The city of Kent will hold dedication ceremonies from 10 a.m. to noon Friday to mark the completion of the Kent Dam project on the Cuyahoga River."
  
  
• More water in Lake Erie
  (WKYC News, 05/17) "Lake Erie is about a foot higher than a year ago, bringing good news to recreational boaters and shipping freighters."
  
  
• Conservation group announces new hire, watershed meeting
  (Akron Beacon Journal, 05/16) "Melinda 'Lindy' White will oversee the development of the Watershed Action Plans for the Twin, Four Mile, Seven Mile and Indian creeks through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency."
  

—  Wastewater

• New Riegel residents upset over sewer rates
  (Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune, 05/19) "Sewer rates in New Riegel still have village residents upset. Glenn Reinhart, the father of five children, approached council Tuesday evening questioning the $110 he will have to pay monthly."
  
  
• Oversight of Toledo sewage lacking, critics say
  (Toledo Blade, 05/18) "In July, Toledo is expected to file a long-term plan for controlling sewage. The plan, subject to months of review, is expected to call for a mix of fully and partially treated sewage at times, but at percentages that meet Clean Water Act regulations."
  
  
• Powhatan Point faces costly pipe repair
  (Martins Ferry Times Leader, 05/18) "The collapse of a portion of a sewer treatment plant overflow pipe at Powhatan Point is expected to result in costly work in replacement or relining, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Powhatan Village Council."
  
  
• Sewer line break may cost Athens over $100,000
  (Athens News, 05/16) "About one month after city officials discovered a sewer-line break near Columbus Road, another sewer line along U.S. Rt. 50 West was discovered broken on Wednesday."
  
  
• North Kentucky weighs sewer solutions
  (Akron Beacon Journal, 05/16) "Fixing sewer line overflows that send untreated human waste into the Ohio River is going to cost Northern Kentucky ratepayers."
  

—  Everything Else

• Sewer work, water rate hike on tap in Tiffin
  (Tiffin Advertiser Tribune, 05/17) "Tiffin City Council passed a measure to pay for sewer work on North Sandusky Street, Boehler Street and Shawhan Avenue."
  

Wisconsin

—  Water Supply

• Howard ends clash with Brown County Water Authority
  (Green Bay Press-Gazette, 05/20) "It’s official: The village of Howard is back in the fold with the Central Brown County Water Authority."
  
  
• Chenequa doesn't dig plans for well
  (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 05/18) "City officials are waiting for results of a study to trickle in before determining the exact location of a planned municipal well that's creating unease in neighboring Chenequa."
  
  
• Bluffview water system may change hands
  (Baraboo News Republic, 05/18) "Bluffview residents will pay about $20 a month for water if state officials approve a water system plan next week."
  

—  Water Resources

• Mighty Mississippi River plan reduces its stress
  (Appleton Post Crescent, 05/19) "Federal officials say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan is designed to reduce human stress on the fragile river environment and improve wild habitats."
  
  
• Oak Creek project gets wetland permit
  (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 05/18) "The Oak Creek coal plant project cleared its last regulatory hurdle Wednesday when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a wetland and water permit."
  
  
• Moves to aid Madison lakes touted
  (Wisconsin State Journal, 05/18) "Madison should consider some bold and pricey moves to clean its troubled lakes, a city committee says."
  
  
• Oshkosh researchers looking for monitor volunteers
  (Oshkosh Northwestern, 05/18) Scroll Down. "Aquatic researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh are looking for a few good volunteers to help monitor the cleanliness of local lakes."
  
  
• State sues property owner, firms in July 2004 fish kill
  (Milwaukee Business Journal, 05/18) "The state of Wisconsin has filed an environmental lawsuit against a Richland County property owner and two businesses for a manure spill last year that killed all of the fish in a nearby creek."
  
  
• Oak Creek permit granted for We Energies
  (Racine Journal Times, 05/18) "One of the most controversial aspects of the project is the pipeline into the lake that would suck up 2.2 billion gallons of water every day and return it to the lake 15 degrees warmer after cooling the plants."
  
  
• Sturgeon Bay tests waters of new fee for storm runoff
  (Green Bay Press-Gazette, 05/18) "A new fee for storm water improvements could be charged on utility bills as soon as 2006, according to a proposed timeline presented to city officials Tuesday."
  
  
• Menards pleads guilty to polluting state waters
  (Racine Journal Times, 05/16) "Home-improvement retailer Menard Inc. pleaded guilty Monday to violating Wisconsin's water pollution laws at its Eau Claire distribution center. The company now faces a fine of up to $2.5 million, the attorney general said."
  

—  Wastewater

• Town of Brookfield may hire new sewer engineering firm
  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 05/16) "Concerned about potential conflicts of interest on Town and City of Brookfield issues, the Town Board is to discuss hiring hire a new engineering firm tonight to represent the town sanitary district."
  
  
• Milwaukee confident on catching condoms
  (Associated Press, 05/16) "After spending more than $1.8 million for a temporary system to catch stray condoms slipping through a sewage treatment plant, a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District spokesman says officials are fairly confident a majority of condoms are now being caught before they can reach Lake Michigan."
  

—  Everything Else

• Reduced sewer, water rates possible in Brookfield
  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 05/17) "Residents may see reduced sewer and water rates or a refund if a $3.4 million sanitary district reserve fund is not used to pay off district debt, the town administrator said Tuesday."