Governor Tony Evers visited Augusta today to meet with local recipients of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. During his visit, the Governor engaged with city officials, community leaders, and project managers to discuss how this critical funding will support infrastructure improvements, enhance public services, and strengthen local economies.
The CDBG program, administered through the Wisconsin Department of Administration, provides federal funding to support community-driven development efforts. In Augusta, the grant will help finance the Spring Street Sewage Lift Station project.
SPRING STREET SEWAGE LIFT STATION
AUGUSTA, WI
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
The City of Augusta sanitary sewer collection system utilizes an inverted siphon to cross Bridge Creek. This conveys all of the wastewater generated in the northern portion of the City across Bridge Creek to forward flow to the City of Augusta wastewater treatment plant. The siphon has experienced significant issues and is directly exposed across the creek, allowing for potential damage from debris and creating an obstacle for navigation of the creek.
The existing siphon pipe is old, failing, is not designed to modern standards and does not function well hydraulically The City has recorded Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) with DNR in recent years due to the siphon’s poor hydraulic function. The pipe is also cracked and has some root instruction, allowing for unwanted creek water to enter the pipe or for sewage to exflltrate from the pipe into the creek. Untreated sewage has backed up into upstream manholes and surcharged to the manhole rim, allowing wastewater to overflow into the creek which creates a significant hazard to public and environmental health. The gravity sewer pipe upstream of the siphon is also in extremely poor condition, exhibiting cracking and segments of broken pipe.
PROJECT SCOPE:
- Replace existing sanitary sewer siphon across Bridge Creek with a new sanitary sewage lift station and forcemain.
- Sewer forcemain will be directionally bored beneath Bridge Creek extending to the existing manhole at Main St. & Madison St. intersection.
- Replace existing gravity sewer from the new lift station to the Spring St. & Washington St. intersection. Purpose of the project is to provide more resilient sewer infrastructure to control future backups and sewage overflows and protect public and environmental health.
FUNDING:
Total estimated project cost is $665,000.
City submitted a DNR Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP) application in September 2024.
DNR CWFP provided a low-interest loan ($665,000) but no Principal Forgiveness (PF) was awarded.
Grant funding is necessary to make the project affordable and minimize the impact on user rates.
A CDBG grant application was submitted in May 2025. Grant funding in the amount of $383,600 was awarded.
The DNR CWFP loan will cover the remaining project costs and serve as match funds for the CDBG grant.