Public Notice of Treatment Facility Overflow

Marathon City Wastewater Treatment Plant – Treatment Facility Overflow (TFO)

In the early morning hours of April 1st 2023, the Marathon City Wastewater Treatment Facility experienced very high flow rates entering the wastewater treatment plant, due to excessive rainfall and melting snow.  Plant personnel opened up an influent bypass channel and put a 2nd primary clarifier in service, to help relieve some of the flow entering the plant.  At approximately 3 AM, an overflow occurred at the wastewater plant at the channel between the aeration basins and the final clarifiers.  Semi-treated wastewater overflowed onto the ground, and grassy soil surfaces inside the wastewater treatment plant, as a result of prolonged elevated flow rates, exceeding the capacity of the plant.  The duration of the overflow lasted approximately 12 hours.  There is no risk to the Public, as there was no human exposure and the incident occurred within the wastewater treatment facility.  Our new wastewater treatment facility, currently under construction, will eliminate this potential overflow issue once the plant is put online later this summer.  If anyone has any questions or concerns, please contact the Marathon City Utility Department at 715-443-0077.

Thank you,

Ken Bloom
Superintendent of Public Utilities