The statewide Areawide Water Quality Management Plan (AWQMP) is a collection of documents that describe the overall condition and resources within a given area. These plans form the foundation for the management of water quality. The AWQMP serves as a platform for subsequent water quality initiatives and activities, including point and nonpoint pollutant plans, monitoring activities, and related environmental resource considerations. One item found under the umbrella of Areawide Water Quality Management Planning is the Sewer Service Area Plan. Sewer Service Area plans are specific to infrastructure development within municipal areas and outline 20-year service areas for public sewers.

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.