What is a Sewer Service Area Plan?

The Sewer Service Area (SSA) Plan is a cooperative, areawide water quality management plan driven by Section 208 of the Clean Water Act and NR 110 & 121.

The SSA Plan:

• Anticipates a community's future needs for wastewater treatment.

• Identifies land most suitable for new development.

• Discourages the development of environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) where development would adversely impact water quality.

• Coordinates plans and consolidates water quality protection programs and policies within the plan area.

• Is used by local, State, and Federal agencies when considering municipal wastewater facility plans, permitting for municipal sewer extensions (i.e., 208 reviews), and certain related grant applications.

• Is not intended to restrict growth, obligate municipalities to provide sewer service, or affect community annexation policies.

 

The sewer service area (SSA) boundary delineates areas with a potential for sewered development within a 20-year planning period, excluding ESAs.  Inclusion of lands within the SSA boundary does NOT determine or guarantee that these lands will be developed, sewered, or annexed within 20 years. 

 

SSA Planning Roles

Under Federal and State rules, SSA Plans are required for larger urban areas and become part of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s (WDNR) areawide water quality management plans.  Under NR 121, WDNR has decision-making authority over the preparation and administration of the SSA Plan’s for the urban areas within West Central Wisconsin.

WDNR has designated West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC) as the local planning agency to facilitate SSA planning and plan updates for the region.

For the Chippewa Falls-Eau Claire urban area, WCWRPC currently administers the SSA Plan, conducts 208 reviews, etc., with the MPO Policy Council serving as the local water quality advisory committee to WDNR on SSA Plan matters.   For the Menomonie and Hudson urban areas, SSA Plan administration is undertaken by the Dunn County Land & Water Conservation and the St. Croix County Community Development, respectively, with WCWRPC assistance when needed.

 

What is included in SSA Plan Updates?

With grant assistance through WDNR, WCWRPC is currently facilitating updates to the SSA Plans for Chippewa Falls-Eau Claire, Menomonie, and Hudson urban areas with the goal for completion of the draft plans by late 2025 or early 2026.  All three plans are significantly out-of-date, so the plan updates are comprehensive.

SSA Plan content is largely identified in NR 121.05, though the plan may reference (and not duplicate) other plans and policies that address elements of WDNR’s broader areawide water quality management plan. Major components of the SSA Plan update include:

• A water quality assessment for the planning area, including consideration of climate trends and equity/environmental justice.

• Analysis of wastewater treatment systems, capacities, and needs.

• 20-year population and land use growth forecasts.

• A review of environmentally sensitive areas (ESA) definitions and maps.

• An updated sewer service area boundary where sanitary sewer may be provided in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner over the next 20 years.

• A review and update of goals, objectives, policies, and administrative procedures to guide sewered development and protect water quality within the SSA.

To assist with plan updates, technical advisory committees have been created for all three SSA Plans.  The technical advisory committee meetings are open to the public; committee meeting agendas will be posted at the webpages for each planning effort linked on this page.  Later in the plan update process, the full draft SSA Plan update will be made available online and a public hearing will be held to invite comment on the draft plan.

 

If you have questions regarding the SSA Plan updates, please contact:

Chris Straight

WCWRPC Senior Planner

Email: chris@wcwrpc.org

Phone: 715-836-2918

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