Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 281 - Water and sewage.
281.17 - Water quality and quantity; specific regulations.

281.17 Water quality and quantity; specific regulations.
(2) The department shall supervise chemical treatment of waters for the suppression of nuisance-producing organisms that are not regulated by the program established under s. 23.24 (2). It may purchase equipment and may make a charge for the use of the same and for materials furnished, together with a per diem charge for any services performed in such work. The charge shall be sufficient to reimburse the department for the use of the equipment, the actual cost of materials furnished, and the actual cost of the services rendered.
(2m) In permitting under its authority under sub. (2) the chemical treatment of water for the suppression of mosquito larvae in the cities of Brookfield and La Crosse, the department may not impose as a condition to that permission a requirement that monitoring or additional testing be conducted as to the effectiveness or the impact of the treatment.
(3) The department shall promulgate rules establishing an examining program for the certification of operators of water systems, wastewater treatment plants and septage servicing vehicles operated under a license issued under s. 281.48 (3), setting such standards as the department finds necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter and chs. 285 and 289 to 299, including requirements for continuing education. The department may charge applicants a fee for certification, except that the department may not require an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44 to pay a fee. All moneys collected under this subsection for the certification of operators of water systems, wastewater treatment plants and septage servicing vehicles shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.370 (4) (bL). No person may operate a water systems, wastewater treatment plant or septage servicing vehicle without a valid certificate issued under this subsection. The department may suspend or revoke a certificate issued under this subsection for a violation of any statute or rule relating to the operation of a water system or wastewater treatment plant or to septage servicing, for failure to fulfill the continuing education requirements or as provided under s. 145.20 (5). The owner of any wastewater treatment plant shall be, or shall employ, an operator certified under this subsection who shall be responsible for plant operations, unless the department by rule provides otherwise. In this subsection, “wastewater treatment plant" means a system or plant used to treat industrial wastewater, domestic wastewater or any combination of industrial wastewater and domestic wastewater.
(5) The department may prohibit the installation or use of septic tanks in any area of the state where the department finds that the use of septic tanks would impair water quality. The department shall prescribe alternate methods for waste treatment and disposal in such prohibited areas.
(6) On and after December 31, 1965, the sale and use of nondegradable detergents containing alkyl benzene sulfonate is prohibited in this state.
(7) Discharge of mercury compounds and metallic mercury into the waters of this state by any person shall be limited to fifteen-hundredths of a pound of mercury per day averaged over a 30-day period, and not more than one-half pound in any one day. The department may establish lower maximum discharge limits by rule.
(8)
(a) The department may establish, administer and maintain a safe drinking water program no less stringent than the requirements of the safe drinking water act, 42 USC 300f to 300j-26.
(b) Notwithstanding par. (a) and s. 280.11 (1), the department may not require a municipal water system to provide continuous disinfection of the water that it provides, unless one of the following applies:
1. Continuous disinfection is required under federal law.
2. Water quality data, well construction, or water system construction indicate a potential health hazard.
(9) The department may require owners of water systems to demonstrate the technical, managerial and financial capacity to comply with national primary drinking water regulations under 42 USC 300g-1 and may assist owners of water systems to develop that capacity.
(10)
(a) No person may conduct an activity for which the department denies a water quality certification required by rules promulgated under this subchapter to implement 33 USC 1341 (a).
(b) No person may violate a condition imposed by the department in a water quality certification required by rules promulgated under this subchapter to implement 33 USC 1341 (a).
(c) This subsection does not apply to discharges into wetlands that are subject to regulation under s. 281.36.
History: 1995 a. 227 ss. 380, 384, 387, 389, 392, 418, 420; 1995 a. 378 s. 43; 1997 a. 27, 35; 1999 a. 147; 2001 a. 16, 109; 2003 a. 310; 2005 a. 347; 2011 a. 19, 118, 209.
Madison's power to forbid chemical treatment of Madison lakes was withdrawn by s. 144.025 (2) (i) [now sub. (2)]. Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Inc. v. DNR, 85 Wis. 2d 518, 271 N.W.2d 69 (1978).
A municipality has no jurisdiction over chemical treatment of waters to suppress aquatic nuisances. The department is granted statewide supervision over aquatic nuisance control under s. 144.025 (2) (i) [now sub. (2)]. Applications for permits to chemically treat aquatic nuisances under s. 144.025 (2) (i) [now sub. (2)] may be denied even though statutory and regulatory requirements have been met if such chemical treatment would be counter-productive in achieving the goals set out in s. 144.025 (1). 63 Atty. Gen. 260.

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