Author: Administrator -Clerk-Treasurer

IF you are a Village of Combined Locks resident using Kaukauna utilities,
the below incentives may be available to you.

Check out the available incentive programs available for you and your home.

• Electric Incentives
• Renewable Energy Incentives

The Skinny on Salt – Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

In Wisconsin, using salt at some point during the darkest months of the year is unavoidable. Many residents, schools, and businesses use de-icing salt on sidewalks and parking lots to keep us safe. Unfortunately, local rivers are facing the consequences of excessive winter salt use.

What’s wrong with salt?

Once salt is in the environment it doesn’t go away. It ends up in our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands, putting our aquatic life at risk and endangering our freshwater resources. Our local lakes, waterways, groundwater and soil have been absorbing virtually all of the salt spread in the city for more than six decades. Chloride from salt is toxic to small aquatic life and degrades the natural eco-system of our lakes. Once salt is in our waterways, it does not break down – it’s here to stay. It only takes 1 teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water to a level that is toxic to freshwater ecosystems. There are also negative impacts to our infrastructure, our economy, and our pets. – Wisconsin Salt Wise

The good news is, we don’t need to sacrifice safe, ice-free driveways and sidewalks for healthier waterways. We just need to be smarter about salt. Here are some tips for reducing salt in our waterways this year:

Shovel often and early
The more snow you remove, the less salt you have to use. Clear sidewalks and driveways before snow turns to ice.
Reduce the amount of salt you use
If you choose to lay salt, make sure you’re not using too much. A little salt goes a long way; a coffee mug of salt can treat a 20-foot long driveway or 10 sidewalk squares. Really!
When it’s too cold outside, ditch the sodium chloride
Salt “melts” ice by lowering the freezing point of water to about 15 degrees. So, when pavement temperatures drop below 15, salt isn’t effective. Choose sand for traction or a different deicer that works at lower temps.
Sweep the salt
After salt has done its job of melting ice, sweep it up. Sweeping excess salt keeps it from running off into our storm drains and local waters when the snow and ice melt. You can even reuse swept-up salt the next time it snows!

For more tips to reduce water pollution at home,
visit Renew Our Waters.

Watch for Spring activity

Once spring rolls around you’ll see activity on the Fox River from Kimberly to Kaukauna. The Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District will install a new liner in the wastewater pipeline as part of its Interceptor Rehabilitation Project. Check back here or go to https://hvmsd.org/category/projects/ for more information.

Construction starts in the spring

Look for the start of construction in spring on the Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District’s interceptor rehabilitation project. The project involves installing a liner to halt corrosion inside the interceptor which carries wastewater from the municipalities to the HOVMSD treatment facility in Kaukauna.

For more information, visit https://hvmsd.org/interceptor-rehabilitation-project/

Lawn Fertilizer PSA

Mindful application is super important. Follow these tips to lower the risk of stormwater pollution! Small adjustments can make a HUGE difference.

Effluent Disc Filter project kicked off in September

As work on its Effluent Disc Filter project kicked off in Sept., planning and design work continues for the Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District’s Interceptor Rehabilitation Project. Look for the project bidding process to take place soon with installation of the new interceptor liner to begin in spring.

For more information, visit https://hvmsd.org/interceptor-rehabilitation-project/.

Preview Badger Book – New electronic Poll Book

Overview: In 2017, Wisconsin Elections Commission staff developed an electronic poll book application for use in Wisconsin elections. The Badger Book is the only electronic poll book authorized for use in Wisconsin and is the only e-poll book application with direct WisVote integration. Badger Books do not use an internet connection.

The Badger Book is used to check in voters, process Election Day Registrations (EDRs), and record absentee participation. In short, Badger Books perform the functions currently processed on a paper poll book. After Election Day, a data file generated from the Badger Book is used to upload election participation and Election Day Registration information into WisVote.

Did you know?

The Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District provides wastewater conveyance and wastewater treatment serving about 60,0000 residents in Combined Locks, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute and the Darboy Sanitary District. It’s among the 20 largest sanitary sewerage operations in Wisconsin.

HOV Metropolitan Sewerage District Bidding Process

The bidding process will take place soon for the major interceptor rehabilitation project planned by the Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District. Due to surface corrosion of the main pipe that carries waste to the treatment plant, an acid resistant liner will be installed.

For more information: https://hvmsd.org/category/projects/

Time to drain your pool?

Untreated runoff is a threat to our local waterways. Taking the time to follow the proper procedures when discharging water from pools and hot tubs will help keep our waters healthy for fish and other aquatic life. Never dump pollutants, like chlorinated water, into a storm drain.