OCONTO,
WISCONSIN
BUILDING RESILIENCY AND REDUCING I&I
Community Overview
The Oconto Utility Commission WWTF in Oconto, Wisconsin, is located on the Oconto River, which discharges into Green Bay and then into Lake Michigan. The Oconto River is subject to flooding due to an increase in extreme weather events and lake level rises. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) connected Moonshot Missions with the city of Oconto to evaluate options for building resiliency and reducing I&I in their system.
Population: 4,500(based on the 2020 U.S. Census)
Watershed: Oconto River Watershed (draining into Green Bay, part of the Lake Michigan Basin)
Poverty Rate: 10.9% below the poverty line (based on the 2022 U.S. Census)
Key Environmental Challenges: Treatment Infrastructure, Aging Collection Systems, Wet Weather Flow Surges, No Back Up Power
MHI: $59,500 (based on the 2022 U.S. Census)
Topic Areas: Utility Resiliency, Capital and Funding, Regionalization
Project Summary
Because of an increase in extreme weather events, the City of Oconto Wastewater Treatment Plant struggled with increased wet weather flows from Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) in its aging collections system. With no backup power and aging systems, the Moonshot Missions facilitation team was able to work with operators to evaluate long-term preventative strategies.
At a Glance
CHALLENGES
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Increased flooding from extreme weather and rising lake levels impacts treatment infrastructure.
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Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) from aging collection systems causes wet weather flow surges.
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No backup power for wastewater treatment operations introduces the risk of untreated discharges during outages.
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With only two operators, introducing preventative planning is a challenge for the WWTP.
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Developed a comprehensive Extreme Weather Resiliency and Adaptation Planning Report based on CREAT modeling.
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Developed project scope and cost estimates for a backup Power Project to fund design and installation.
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Submitted pre-applications to secure implementation funding for planned improvements.
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Experiences prompted regionalization discussions with neighboring communities, creating a future revenue stream.
OUTCOMES
The Team
The engine behind the Moonshot Method is the key talent we deploy. Our goal is to bring experience and knowledge to the community through a team of peer advisors. This project was led by:
Advanced expertise in wastewater process optimization and environmental systems planning.
Thirteen years of experience in wastewater treatment operations with advanced operator certifications.
The Moonshot Method
OUR METHOD IN ACTION
PROFILE:
Visited the Oconto Utility Commission Wastewater Treatment Plant to better understand its challenges
ASSESSMENT:
Staff demonstrated sound knowledge of the plant processes and implementing process updates within current ability
MENU:
Presented a list of findings and potential solutions to the City of Oconto based on the challenges identified during the site visit
Map
Proposed support including funding, climate resiliency planning, and opportunities for regionalization
LAUNCH:
Conducted a three-part Resiliency Planning workshop, culminating in a detailed resiliency report and several major funding applications.
