Oconto SSA Plan
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Purpose

The eastern portion of Oconto County along the Bay of Green Bay is unique in many respects. Abundant natural resources are located along the shores of Green Bay and are vital to preserving the water quality of the area. However, the west shore of Green Bay is also experiencing numerous problems with failing on-site wastewater treatment systems which have detrimental effects on water quality. According to a 1991 study done by the Oconto County Zoning Office, over 75% of these systems were failing due to lack of proper maintenance or improper construction or location. As a result. many enforcement orders were issued. Numerous sanitary districts have been established to address these problems, and proposals for constructing public sewers for wastewater transport and treatment have been undertaken. The western shore of Green Bay has also been feeling the pressures for increased development due to its unique rural character and its proximity to the City of Green Bay urbanized area. If new sanitary sewer facilities are constructed in these areas to solve an existing water quality problem, it may create additional "problems" in the form of new, unorganized residential and commercial development (i.e. urban sprawl). In order to accommodate this new development in a logical manner and provide municipal services while preserving the existing nature_! resources, the WDNR has required that an areawide sewer service plan be developed.

Objective

Delineation of the sewer service area not only identifies those areas eligible to receive sanitary sewer service, but also identifies and protects natural and environmentally sensitive areas from future development and indiscriminate urban growth. Such areas include, but are not limited to, floodways, shorelands, and wetlands. Wastewater treatment facilities could then be designed to provide adequate treatment capacity for the anticipated population growth in the sewer service area, while protecting sensitive natural areas and water quality.

A sewer service area identifies the land area intended for sewer services that will be made available during the 20-year planning period. Delineating a service boundary is critical in designing sewage collection and treatment facilities to serve existing and future residents of the Oconto County-Green Bay West Shore area in the most cost-effective and environmentally sound manner.

The service area in this plan is delineated using the 20-year population projection, an acceptable residential population density, and a forecast of non-residential (i.e., commercial, industrial) growth, all of which result in acreage demand and allocation. The service area excludes major areas found to be environmentally or physically unsuitable for sewered development. Land included in the service area is deemed eligible to receive sewer service; however, the governmental entities providing sewer service are not obligated to serve specific areas. Sanitary sewers represent perhaps the greatest catalyst to development within an area. Orderly land use and organized community growth are directly dependent upon the orderly and organized provision of such essential services. A sewer service plan should provide each of the participating municipalities with a valuable tool to manage its growth in the most cost-effective and environmentally acceptable fashion.

Related Reports

Run Project Summary Report
View Umbrella-Projects
View Related-Projects

Water Quality Planning
Sewer Service Area Plans
SSA Plan Oconto
2015
Active
 
Activities & Recommendations
Sewer Service Area Planning
The eastern portion of Oconto County along the Bay of Green Bay is unique in many respects.