Public Works Committee — Minutes

City of Pewaukee W240 N3065 Pewaukee Road Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, April 23, 2026 In Attendance: Mayor Steve Bierce, Alderman Jerry Wamser, Michael Kreiter, Jim Blackwood Also In Attendance: Director of Public Works M. Wagner, Chief Engineer-Utilities R. Wirtz, Utility Manager J. Mueller, Administrative Assistant H. Jacobs 1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Bierce called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and called for everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Public Comment - Please limit your comments to two minutes. If further time for discussion is needed, please contact your District Alderperson prior to the meeting. No public comments were made. 3. Discussion and Action Regarding the Minutes 3.1 Discussion and possible action to adopt Mar 05 2026 meeting minutes. Motion was made and seconded (M.Kreiter, J. Blackwood) to approve the March 05, 2026 meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously. 4. Storm Water Management Division 4.1 Discussion and possible action regarding the 2025 MS4 Annual Storm Water Report. Mr. Wirtz presented the annual storm water report, explaining that the city is working to finalize its TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) requirements by the end of summer. He noted that the agreement with the City of Brookfield water treatment facility to purchase credits will significantly help reduce the number of projects needed to meet TMDL requirements due to the efficiency of the waste water treatment plant in removing Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and phosphorus. Mr. Wirtz reported that the storm water management team conducted extensive erosion control inspections through both internal staff and consultants. The enforcement efforts included issuing five Notices of Noncompliance and eight Notices of Violations, with recommendations for fines sent to the sheriff's office resulting in tickets being issued. Most of the City's best management practices were inspected, with only two locations inaccessible due to snow. The report tracked salt usage at approximately 2,100 tons of salt and 3,380 gallons of brine used before the recent snow storm, with additional usage numbers to be refined for the next report. This winter proved more demanding than the previous year, requiring increased salt usage. Mr. Wirtz emphasized ongoing efforts with the highway department to better track salt application rates. Street sweeping operations totaled 2,405 lane miles of roadway swept during the year, which represents multiple passes over the city's approximately 198 lane miles of roads. The sweeping helps remove leaves and debris to prevent materials from entering the storm sewer system. Mayor Bierce inquired about the disposal of swept materials, learning that debris goes to the landfill due to metal contamination from vehicles, brake pads, and atmospheric sources. Mr. Wirtz explained that while some communities have explored metal recovery, it remains cost-prohibitive. The discussion of salt and brine application led to detailed explanations of their different uses. Pre-wetting roadways with brine before snow events helps prevent ice- pavement bonding when conditions are appropriate, while pre-wetting salt pellets as they leave trucks helps keep salt on pavement surfaces rather than bouncing off the roadways. Some counties have experimented with all-brine applications, though this may result in different service levels. Committee members discussed alternative de-icing products including beet juice, pickle brine, and cheese brine. Mr. Wirtz noted drawbacks to organic alternatives, including increased slickness on roadways, corrosiveness to vehicle components, and the trade-off of introducing organic phosphorus while trying to manage other pollutants. Ms. Wagner emphasized that the city has evolved significantly in winter maintenance practices, progressing from sand to sand-salt mixtures to straight salt to the current salt-and-brine approach. The committee discussed varying service levels across different counties and municipalities. Motion was made and seconded (J. Wamser, M. Kreiter) to adopt the 2025 MS4 Annual Storm Water Report. The motion carried unanimously. 5. Water and Sewer Division 5.1 Discussion and possible action regarding Proposals to Conduct Groundwater Well Siting Study Ms. Mueller reminded the committee that after last year's water supply alternatives analysis, which examined water provision amid radium and PFAS contamination issues and deteriorating well formations, the Common Council directed staff to explore both the possibility of diverting Great Lakes surface water and continuing with groundwater well options. Ms. Mueller presented proposals from two firms for well siting studies. Pat Jurcek from Intera has extensive experience with projects statewide and internationally. John Jansen from Collier Geophysics has sited most of the City's existing wells and is highly regarded in the field. Both proposals involve initial desktop studies compiling existing information including contamination sources, bedrock layers, and geophysical data to create comprehensive mapping systems. Intera's proposal totaled $41,365 while Collier's came in at $37,500. Ms. Mueller noted that Collier identified the next phase would involve on-site geophysical studies and field borings after potential well sites are identified. The immediate need is for two new wells — one to replace the collapsed radium- contaminated well and another to replace a PFAS-contaminated well. Looking forward, the city will need to replace six to eight wells over the next 50 years to meet demand projections. Ms. Wagner explained that this study will help determine whether the city can remain on groundwater within its boundaries or if it needs to look outside its borders for well sites. The study strengthens any surface water application and is essential if staying on groundwater. Mr. Blackwood asked about potential duplication of efforts if neighboring municipalities have conducted similar studies. Ms. Mueller indicated this would be identified during the phase one study, though she noted the challenges of drilling wells in other communities. The discussion touched on the western areas of the county where high-producing sandstone wells exist, though Ms. Wagner cautioned about increased PFAS risk with shallower surface wells and reduced filtration through sandstone layers. Motion was made and seconded (J. Blackwood, M. Kreiter) to recommend to the council to award the well siting study to Collier Geophysics for a cost not to exceed $37,500. The motion carried unanimously. 5.2 Discussion regarding an Excerpt-AWWA Beyond the Replacement Era: Balancing Compounding Infrastructure Needs With Household Affordability Ms. Mueller presented information from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) report to validate the challenges the city faces daily. The report highlights how the water industry has evolved beyond simply replacing failing pipes to addressing contamination issues, climate change considerations, and other complex challenges that utilities struggle to fund. Ms. Wagner emphasized that the City of Pewaukee is not alone in these struggles, with many communities advocating for federal and state assistance to prevent all costs from hitting ratepayers. She noted that communities nationwide are experiencing double and triple-digit rate increases during current rate case proceedings, reflecting the ongoing impacts of COVID-era increases in labor and supply chain costs that never returned to previous levels. The discussion covered affordability programs, including a COVID-era federal program that helped residents pay water bills, which ended in 2023 despite strong advocacy for its renewal. The program effectively reached severely impoverished households. When asked about local residents struggling with water bills, Ms. Mueller indicated the city has some customers who don't pay on time, with arrearages collected through the tax roll. During COVID, five to ten residents requested relief programs, with staff directing them to available veteran assistance programs. The conversation evolved into broader water system considerations, including the concept that 90 percent of treated water isn't used for consumption purposes. Ms. Mueller suggested exploring point-of-use reverse osmosis systems for drinking water while providing lower-quality water for other uses, though this would require significant regulatory changes and presents monitoring challenges. The committee discussed regional approaches and different water systems like those in Las Vegas with multiple water qualities for different uses, though these require operating multiple systems with associated costs. Mr. Blackwood suggested comparing local rates to those in water-scarce regions like Arizona and Nevada to provide perspective during rate discussions. Mayor Bierce requested that this information be presented to the Common Council given the ongoing discussions about water rates and infrastructure needs. 6. Public Comment - Please limit your comments to two minutes. If further time for discussion is needed, please contact your District Alderperson prior to the meeting. No public comments were made. 7. Adjournment Motion was made and seconded (M. Kreiter, J. Wamser) to adjourn the meeting at 4:44 p.m. The motion passed unanimously. Respectfully Submitted Magdelene Wagner Director of Public Works