STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PUBLIC NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL HEARING AND INTENT TO REISSUE A WISCONSIN POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (WPDES) PERMIT No.WI-0031925-07-0 Permittee: Larsen Winchester Sanitary District, PO Box 85, Larsen, WI 54947 Facility Where Discharge Occurs: Larsen Winchester SD WWTF, SE1/4 of the SW1/4, Section 19, T20N, R16E, Town of Clayton, Winnebago County, WI Receiving Water And Location: Unnamed tributary (WBIC no. 242200) to Arrowhead River, in the Arrowhead River and Daggets Creek Watershed (WR01), in the Wolf River Basin in Winnebago County Brief Facility Description: The Larsen Winchester Sanitary District (District) wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) was previously permitted to operate a two-cell controlled discharge stabilization pond wastewater treatment system that received exclusively domestic wastewater from the unincorporated communities of Larsen and Winchester in Winnebago County. The treatment facility was designed to treat an average daily flow of 48,300 gallons per day (gpd), and operated on a fill and draw basis, with discharge to an unnamed tributary to the Arrowhead River occurring approximately two weeks each spring and fall. The District began construction of a wastewater treatment plant improvement project in the summer of 2025 which included abandoning the existing wastewater stabilization pond system and constructing a LemTec treatment system at the existing wastewater treatment plant site. One of the existing ponds has been drained and graded, and the other was abandoned in place at the time of project completion. Treatment components include a mechanical bar screen, a LemTec system for secondary treatment, a chemical feed system for phosphorus removal, a Lemna polishing reactor for ammonia removal, and UV disinfection. Influent and effluent flow meters and refrigerated composite samplers were also installed. A control building was constructed with four separate rooms on the first floor, including a bar screen room, a chemical feed room, an electrical and office room, and a blower room. A basement level room is located below the blower room to house the UV disinfection and effluent flow meter. The improvement project also included extending existing force mains, adding sanitary and storm sewers, and water, aeration and chemical feed piping. The system is designed to treat an average daily flow of 119,000 gpd and operate on a continuous discharge basis to the same discharge location. Construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026. Permit Drafter's Name, Address, Phone and Email: Sarah Donoughe, DNR, 2984 Shawano Ave, Green Bay, WI 54313-6727, (920) 366-6076, Sarah.Donoughe@wisconsin.gov Basin Engineer's Name, Address, Phone and Email: Mark Stanek, DNR, 625 E County Rd Y, Ste 700, Oshkosh, WI 54901, (920) 808-0670, Mark.Stanek@wisconsin.gov The Department has tentatively decided that the above-specified WPDES permit should be reissued. Proposed Chloride Variance: The Department has determined that a water quality-based effluent limitation (WQBEL) for chloride is needed in this permit to protect aquatic life. As allowed under s. NR 106.83(2), Wis. Adm. Code, the permittee has requested a variance to the chloride WQBEL. In support of this request, the permittee has submitted documentation intended to demonstrate that the cost of complying with the WQBEL through the use of end-of-pipe wastewater treatment may cause substantial and widespread adverse social and economic impacts in the area where the discharger is located. The Department concurs with that assessment; however, this concurrence is subject to USEPA approval before the variance limit may be included in the final reissued permit. In an effort to achieve chloride effluent reductions that are practically and economically achievable within the term of the proposed permit, the Department and the permittee have mutually agreed upon specific permit terms that include an interim limitation, a target limit (or value, as the case may be), and certain source reduction activities. As allowed under s. NR 106.83(3), Wis. Adm. Code, these requirements are contained in the proposed permit. Hearing Date, Time, and Location: Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 3:00PM, https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZZRyEibXRTi5pAZVJt-iJA Hearing Officer, Name, Address, City/State/Zip, and Phone: Sarah Donoughe, DNR, 2984 Shawano Ave, Green Bay, WI 54313-6727, (920) 366-6076 The Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to s. 283.49, Wis. Stats, has scheduled for the time and place listed above, a public hearing for the purpose of giving all interested persons an opportunity to make a statement with respect to the above announced permit action for this existing discharge. A hearing officer will conduct the hearing in an orderly and speedy way and will use procedures specified in Subchapter II of ch. NR 203, Wis. Adm. Code, necessary to insure broad public participation in the hearing. The hearing officer will open the hearing and make a concise statement of the scope and purpose of the hearing and shall state what procedures will be used during the course of the hearing. The hearing officer shall explain the method of notification of the final decision to grant or deny the permit and the methods by which the decision may be reviewed in a public adjudicatory hearing. The hearing officer may put limits on individual oral statements to ensure an opportunity for all persons present to make statements in a reasonable period of time and to prevent undue repetition. The hearing officer may also limit the number of representatives making oral statements on behalf of any person or group. Informational and clarifying questions and oral statements shall be directed through the hearing officer. Cross-examination shall not be allowed. Persons wishing to comment on or object to the proposed permit action are invited to do so by attending the public hearing or by submitting any comments or objections in writing to the Department of Natural Resources, at the above-named permit drafter's address. All comments or suggestions received from members of the public no later than 7 days following the date of this public hearing will be used, along with other information on file and testimony presented at the hearing, in making a final determination. Where designated as a reviewable surface water discharge permit, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is allowed up to 90 days to submit comments or objections regarding this permit determination. Information on file for this permit action, including the draft permit, fact sheet and permit application, may be inspected and copied at either the above-named permit drafter's office or the above named basin engineer's office, Monday through Friday (except holidays), between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Please call the permit drafter or basin engineer for directions to their office location, if necessary. Information on this permit action may also be obtained by calling the permit drafter at (920) 366-6076 or by writing to the Department. Reasonable costs (15 cents per page for copies and 7 cents per page for scanning) will be charged for information in the file other than the public notice, permit and fact sheet. Permit information is also available on the internet at: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wastewater/PublicNotices.html . Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodation, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, will be made to qualified individuals upon request. WNAXLP May 6 2026 LWIX0512207