281.57(6)(b) (b) For those municipalities that notify the department after January 1 but before April 1 of each year of their intent to apply for a grant under this section, the department shall compile a funding list as of April 1 of each year. If funding remains from the allocation under par. (a), the department shall allocate available funding to projects in the order in which they appear on the funding list compiled under this paragraph. The department shall not allocate funds to a municipality under this paragraph that is on the funding list in a particular year if the municipality is not ready to begin construction within 3 months after the department is ready to allocate the funds and the municipality can reasonably expect to receive funds under the federal program within 12 months after the department is ready to allocate the funds.

281.57(6)(c) (c) If a municipality receives a notice that the department is ready to allocate funds under par. (a) or (b) and, prior to the initiation of construction, the department determines that revisions to the proposed project based upon significant newly discovered information or recent technological innovation will reduce anticipated project costs without impeding the achievement of discharge and effluent standards, the department may reserve the funds previously committed under par. (a) or (b) for that municipality for a period not to exceed one priority year after the funding list is compiled under par. (a) or (b).

281.57(7)(a)1.1. Upon the completion by an applicant of all application requirements, the department may enter into an agreement with a municipality for a grant of up to 60 percent of the eligible costs of a project, except as provided under sub. (4) (c), if the municipality is awarded a grant before July 1, 1989.

281.57(7)(a)2. 2. Upon the completion by an applicant of all application requirements, the department may enter into an agreement with a municipality for a grant of up to 55 percent of the eligible costs of the project, except as provided under sub. (4) (c), if the municipality is awarded a grant after June 30, 1989, but before July 1, 1990.

281.57(7)(b) (b) No project funded under this section may receive state assistance that, combined with other nonlocal government assistance, exceeds 75 percent of the eligible cost of the project.

281.57(7)(c)1.1. Metropolitan sewerage districts that serve 1st class cities are limited in each fiscal year to receiving total grant awards not to exceed 33 percent of the sum of the amounts in the schedule for that fiscal year for the appropriation under s. 20.165 (2) (ke) and the amount authorized under sub. (10) for that fiscal year plus the unencumbered balance at the end of the preceding fiscal year for the amount authorized under sub. (10). This subdivision is not applicable to grant awards provided during fiscal years 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1989-90.

Effective date text 1. Metropolitan sewerage districts that serve 1st class cities are limited in each fiscal year to receiving total grant awards not to exceed 33 percent of the amount authorized under sub. (10) for that fiscal year plus the unencumbered balance at the end of the preceding fiscal year for the amount authorized under sub. (10). This subdivision is not applicable to grant awards provided during fiscal years 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89 and 1989-90.

281.57(7)(c)2. 2. Metropolitan sewerage districts that serve 1st class cities are limited to new project grant awards of not more than $29,900,000 in fiscal year 1985-86, of not more than $35,300,000 in fiscal year 1986-87, of not more than $70,000,000 in fiscal year 1988-89 and of not more than $45,600,000 in fiscal year 1989-90 from the amounts authorized under sub. (10), plus any unallocated balances from the previous fiscal year as listed in this subdivision which the department determines, in accordance with its rules establishing a priority funding list under sub. (6), will be available for obligation during the succeeding fiscal year.

281.57(7)(c)3. 3. Sewerage districts that do not serve 1st class cities are limited to new project grant awards that, in the aggregate for all those sewerage districts, are not more than $70,500,000 in fiscal year 1988-89 and not more than $48,338,400 in fiscal year 1989-90 from the amounts authorized under sub. (10), plus any unallocated balances from the previous fiscal year as listed in this subdivision which the department determines, in accordance with its rules establishing a priority funding list under sub. (6), will be available for obligation during the succeeding fiscal year.

281.57(7)(c)4. 4. Of the additional $11,938,400 authorized in subd. 3. by 1989 Wisconsin Act 366, for fiscal year 1989-90, the department shall allocate $5,969,200 to each of the first 2 municipalities, except a metropolitan sewerage district that serves a 1st class city, whose projects have the highest rankings on the funding list under sub. (6) (a). The department may not release the additional moneys authorized in subd. 3. to such municipalities until the secretary certifies in writing that each municipality has signed an agreement with the department under which the municipality agrees to waive any further challenge to the order of placement of any of its projects on a priority funding list established by the department under sub. (6).

281.57(8)(a)(a) Water conservation. Each municipality receiving state assistance under this section for the construction of a point source pollution abatement facility shall develop and adopt a program of water conservation no less stringent than the federal requirements.

281.57(8)(b) (b) Operation and maintenance. Each municipality receiving state assistance under this section for the construction of a point source pollution abatement facility shall develop and adopt a program of systemwide operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant, including the training of personnel, no less stringent than the federal requirements.

281.57(8)(c) (c) User charges; exception.

281.57(8)(c)1.1. Except as provided under subd. 2., each municipality receiving state assistance under this section for the construction of a point source pollution abatement facility shall develop and adopt a system of equitable user charges to ensure that each recipient of waste treatment services pays its proportionate share of the costs of the operation and maintenance of the point source pollution abatement facility. The user fee system shall be in compliance with title II of the federal act and the rules promulgated under the federal act.

281.57(8)(c)2. 2. The department may issue an exemption from the requirement imposed under subd. 1. if a city or village imposes a system of equitable dedicated charges based upon assessed property values, if the city or village does not operate a wastewater treatment plant but is served by a regional wastewater treatment plant operated by a metropolitan sewerage district created under ss. 200.21 to 200.65 and if the user charges imposed by that district are approved by the department and comply with the requirements of title II of the federal act.

281.57(8)(d) (d) Prior approval. Payment in excess of two-thirds of the state assistance provided for the eligible costs of construction may not be made until the department approves the programs required under pars. (a) and (b) and any system required under par. (c).

281.57(8)(e) (e) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules consistent with this subsection.

281.57(8m) (8m) Repayment. The department may not require a municipality that received a construction grant under this section for a wastewater treatment system that subsequently failed to repay any portion of the grant related to the costs of that failed system if all of the following apply:

281.57(8m)(a) (a) The municipality received the construction grant during fiscal year 1980-81.

281.57(8m)(b) (b) Prior to the construction of the wastewater treatment system funded by the grant under par. (a) the municipality was an unsewered municipality.

281.57(8m)(c) (c) The department directed the municipality to correct the failed wastewater treatment system and the municipality received construction grant funding during fiscal year 1987-88 to make the corrections.

281.57(9)(a) (a) The department shall, by rule, implement and administer reimbursement funding to municipalities as part of the financial assistance program under this section to encourage the participation of all municipalities.

281.57(9)(b) (b) The department shall promulgate rules specifying reimbursement eligibility and procedures for commitments of financial assistance. The rules shall specify that reimbursement shall be made or committed: