There are indications that at least some people were aware of the possibility of the UWGB-Marinette sewer being connected to a sewer line that crossed the adjacent old hospital property. That sewer was capped in March 2022, and since then it’s not known for certain where the wastewater from the University Campus is going. The Marinette City Council was informed at their meeting this week that the city became aware of the issue last month, and the city is pushing for the property owners of the hospital, Aurora Health Care, and the University, that being Marinette County to resolve the issue.
In his May 16th email to the parties involved provided to Bay Cities Radio by Marinette County Administrator John Lefebvre, he states that the contractor razing the old hospital either purposely or by accident, severed the UWQGB Marinette Campus Sanitary Sewer Line that fed into the hospital sanitary sewer line, which ran out to Shore Drive. In a February 7th, 2022, email. Construction Project Manager for Advocate Aurora Health, Tim Klein, stated that the City of Marinette made him aware of the main water line was shared with the University and was concerned about sewer lines perhaps shared as well. He said they would reach out before they started the main earthwork with the site. In August 2022, previous UWGB Campus Executive Officer Cindy Bailey reached out to Marinette Mayor Steve Genisot via email asking if there could be an easement in place for the UW’s sewer and water that run through the former hospital property. At this time, we are unaware if there was a response to this communication. Lefebvre in his May 16th email said it’s possible that a portion of the sewage being generated at the UW – Marinette Campus is draining into the ground and potentially the concrete rubble under the former hospital property if located close enough to the pipe end from the university.
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