Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in La Crosse public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
6 issues in water utilities with high priority
$65 Million Wastewater Plant Upgrade and Phosphorus Compliance
La Crosse's new state discharge permit took effect October 1 with stricter limits, including PFAS monitoring mentioned 105 times in the permit. The plant's biosolids tested at 0.0843 parts per billion against a 20 ppb limit — well under, unlike some neighboring communities.
Army Corps Flood Risk Management Study Agreement
The city is officially partnering with the Army Corps on a $3 million, three-year study of the North Side levee system — the first at this scale since 1975. It's the gateway to federal funding for actual flood protection projects later.
Non-Compliant Utility Service Separations
State PSC rules require every unit in a multi-unit building to have its own shutoff, and shared sewer lines between duplexes must be separated — hitting property owners with $6,000-$10,000 bills, sometimes decades after the fact. Council members are frustrated; staff are testing a right-of-way assessment pilot and pricey remote-shutoff meters ($700 vs $150) as relief options.
2027 Sewer Rate CPI Adjustment
Sewer bills are going up 4%, likely starting December 1 or January 1. The board also ordered a full rate study, with results back in 2027, to figure out longer-term sewer pricing.
Well House 13 rehabilitation and aging well infrastructure
Well 13, installed in the 1950s, has an unstable biofilm that forces extra chlorine and has pushed disinfection byproducts up. The rehab is a need, not a want, staff said — and Well 21 is next in line, with full casing replacement at up to $500,000 per well the eventual fix.
Water rate increase effective October 1
The city's water rate application is moving toward a Public Service Commission public hearing. The outcome could change what residents pay for water service.