Collection System
The Village of Mount Horeb Wastewater Utility is comprised of four operators who manage and maintain over 46 miles of sewer mains, more than 1000 manholes, eight lift stations, and the treatment facility. Each year, at least 10% the mains and manholes in the Village are cleaned using a high-pressure water jet and inspected with a televising camera. Regular inspections allow staff to identify issues within the system and address them before they have a major impact. The lift stations are inspected and maintained on a weekly basis, with bi-annual grease removal.
Treatment Facility
The wastewater treatment facility, located just south of the highway, processes approximately 500,000 gallons of wastewater daily. The facility utilizes various mechanical and biological processes to treat the wastewater, ensuring it meets the discharge limits imposed by the Wisconsin DNR before being released into the West Branch of the Sugar River.
How You Can Help
No wipes down the pipes! There’s no shortage of products currently on the market labeled as “flushable,” and the Utility would like to remind everyone that just because a product can be flushed, it doesn’t mean it should be flushed. These wipes, along with other non-biodegradable objects, can cause a buildup in the sanitary system, leading to clogged lines, system back-ups, and premature wear or failure of pumps and other equipment. We encourage everyone to simply throw those products in the garbage. A more comprehensive list of prohibited items can be found in Article 13.35 of the Municipal Code
Laterals
The Utility also encourages periodic cleaning/inspection of the private laterals serving each building in the Village. The responsibility of the service lateral lies with the property owners, and occasionally, laterals can become blocked, broken, or otherwise clogged, resulting in sewage backing up into a floor drain. If you’re experiencing a sewer back up, please reach out to the Utility at 608-437-3101; upon notification staff will report to inspect the sewer’s main lines, if all is determined to be normal with the main lines staff will likely advise you to contact a drain cleaner and/or a plumber as we are not equipped to clean, inspect, or provide any service to the property’s private lateral.
Meter Reading & Billing
Similar to reading your electric meter, Mount Horeb Utilities crew members collect usage data from your water meter with an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) device. Our data collection devices read your meter and store that information in a format that is then imported into our billing software to help produce your monthly billing statement. Your sewer charges are based on your water usage read by your water meter.