Ripon Implementing Surcharge For High Levels Of Chloride In Wastewater

The Ripon Common Council this week approved an ordinance change that will implement a surcharge for industrial customers who discharge high levels of chloride in their wastewater. The surcharge will not take effect until October 1st of next year. Industrial customers were aware for a few years that the change was coming. City Administrator Lori Rich says the surcharge will be for industrial customers who discharge more than 700 milligrams of chloride per liter of wastewater that has to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant. Residential customers will not be charged. A typical residential customer discharges about 300 milligrams of chloride per liter compared to one industrial customer that has a level over 9,000. The DNR requires the surcharge as part of the city’s wastewater discharge permit.