by Lissa Blake
After years of discussion, work began last week on the $12.3 million upgrade of Waukon’s wastewater treatment plant. The plant, which originally was built in 1965, has not seen any renovations since 1986.
A typical upgrade can usually keep a city in compliance with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for about 20 years. It’s been almost 33 since anything has changed in Waukon.
“That’s far beyond its expected lifespan,” explained Waukon City Manager Dean Hilgerson.
In 2015, following a review by the Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Waukon was issued a compliance order from the EPA, indicating it needed to bring its water treatment capabilities up to Agency standards, “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.”