Sewer Service Area Plans outline 20-year growth boundaries and sensitive areas to protect water quality by proactively addressing the future needs for wastewater collection and treatment in developing areas. This planning helps protect water resources from adverse impacts by facilittin cost-effective and environmentally sound sewerage system planning. Plans identify existing sewered areas as well as available land suitable for new development. The process also identifies areas not suitable for public sewer including but not limited to environmentally sensitive areas (NR 121.05(l)(g)2.c).

Goals to establish service area plans and policies relating to wastewater collection and treatment are best developed in tandem with Comprehensive Planning. Policies framing service area planning decisions include:

• Providing cost-effective collection and treatment facilities;
• Consideration of current and anticipated development or redevelopment that conforms with Comprehensive Plans;
• Providing collection and treatment infrastructure improvement and upgrades accommodating 7-yr design events, and addressing NPDES permitting and EPA guidelines;
• Providing collection and treatment facilities that comply with state and federal regulations and protection of sensitive resources such as headwaters, springs and wetlands;
• Optimizing Main and CSO treatment plant performance and efficiency;
• Optimize industrial pretreatment and pollution prevention strategies;
• Interagency cooperation and public involvement.

With input from Planning, Engineering, and Wastewater, and WDNR SSA Planning effectuates long-term water quality protection by designating as environmentally sensitive wetlands, shorelands, floodplains, steep slopes, lands with erodible soils, and environmentahy limiting areas within the planning boundary. Additional areas within the City's limits which are guarded from sewered development include parks, the municipal forest and other valuable recreational areas.