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Apr 09, 2025

Septic waste pit draws controversy over its location during Town of Wausau meeting

TOWN OF WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The owner of Green Valley Septic, Blake Czerwonka, wants to install a septic pit on his property. He wants to use sewage sludge on his 54 acres to help grow crops, but

TOWN OF WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The owner of Green Valley Septic, Blake Czerwonka, wants to install a septic pit on his property. He wants to use sewage sludge on his 54 acres to help grow crops, but people in the Town of Wausau have questions.

A large crowd filled the Town Hall to learn more about septic waste spreading.

Septic tanks are not rare here in Wisconsin, but that sewage has to go somewhere. Companies like Green Valley Septic take the waste from septic tanks and portable toilets and transport it.

Czerwonka wants to use a waste pit to grow crops.

“Within that septic, there’s nitrogen, potassium, there’s micronutrients, metals that are beneficial for intended crops, and it’s almost fertilizer-like,” Wisconsin DNR spokesperson Steve Warner explained.

The pit would be emptied and spread in the spring and fall when the weather is optimal.

Sewage spreading is highly regulated by the DNR. Members of the DNR presented information on testing, permits, and limitations.

From nitrogen levels, the type of tank, and groundwater levels, companies have to jump through a lot of hoops.

Czerwonka is currently working with the DNR to submit his application. He would also need a building permit from the town. The land is surrounded by both homes and farmland, and people shared their concerns during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

“Most of the residents around here will know that the soil from those fields runs down onto the road and then it runs into the crick that runs behind my property, that’s named No Name Crick,” one person said.

Besides the flooding, people are also concerned about the odor from the waste. The DNR says adding lime will help neutralize it a bit, but it is still waste.

“A lot of the odor that you have from a large open top tank, you do have some crustation that develops over the top. Second, a lot of the material has actually been stabilized and it’ll have some odor to it, I’m not gonna lie to you by any means. It will have some odor to it,” DNR spokesperson Frederick Hegeman said.

Dozens of people voiced their opinion during the meeting, but no action will be taken yet.

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