Groundwater issues discussed at special meeting of the Plainfield Village Board

The last thing Plainfield residents on East Road want to hear is that is going to rain.  The water table in that entire area is the highest it has been in recorded history.  On Sept. 1st the Plainfield Village Board held a special meeting to hear the concerns of property owners and to see what can be done to alleviate the high water.

Over 25 homes in the village have had serious water issues in their basements.  Most of the homes used their basements for living and they were finished off.  This has cost the homeowners between $14,000 and $25,000 in repairs not counting the furnishings lost and having to replace furnaces and hot water heaters.

One of the homeowners who are fairly new to the village said that his electric bill to run his pumps is over $450 per month – nearly the cost of a mortgage payment.  He told the board if he could sell his house today he would.

All were concerned about their property values going down, as when you sell a home you have to disclose the water issues you have or have had.  Resident Don Wied said, “We are experiencing a slow moving disaster.  Anything we can do to make it go away would be helpful as the value of our homes is decreased.”  He added that the homeowners are looking for a direction on what can possibly be done.

Fred Appleyard said, “the local government has failed us once again.  One year going on two and it is disgusting as we should be #1 and it is not our fault.  For years we had a drought and now we have plenty of water.”  He also told the Argus that they have a 20-year guarantee with ABT and they have been back to their home several times and recently retrenched around their home and went deeper since that their basement is 99 percent dry.  They will be back in a week and a half to check and make any adjustments. “ABT is excellent and has worked to make our lives easier,” Appleyard said.

Marsha Chikowski said she believed her home was the first one to flood.  Her electric bill is $300 a month to run four pumps.  She also invested in a generator in case of a power failure.  On Sept. 13 the power failed, the generator failed, and she said she had two feet of water in her basement. The recommendation for her presently to alleviate the problem is to make a crawl space at the cost of $50,000.

One resident said, Who is going to buy a house with a swamp across the street?  He said they spent $22,000 on drain tile and can’t sell their home.

Helen Appleyard was concerned about the health and safety as the retention pond and the flooded park adjacent to it is filled with green algae and it is a breeding ground for mosquitos.  She also added there have been more snakes spotted in the area.  The fencing around the park is not adequate and would like to see that addressed by the village board.

State Representative Scott Krug said that the problem isn’t just in Plainfield; it stretches all the way to the Wisconsin River.  It is an ongoing problem – too much precipitation.  The water has nowhere to go. He suggested the town and village hire an engineering firm to figure out the bulk of the problem.  Till engineering is done we don’t know where the water will go.  He said once the engineering is complete they could petition the DNR for projects. Krug added that there are municipal projects through Wisconsin Emergency Management.  He added to get money from FEMA you just have to apply with an engineering plan and keep applying.

State Senator Patrick Testin said the area has the highest water table in the 150 years it has been recorded.  He suggested partnering the village and town and take petitions to the Department of Natural Resources.  Those requests must be made in writing – a letter asking for help with an engineering plan.  “They have to know you need help,” he concluded.

Both Testin and Krug said that the first move should be to hire an engineering firm and then present a plan.  Is it the DOT retention pond with excessive runoff from State Road 73?  An engineer will determine if it is a DOT issue.

Ed Makaryk, Village President, said that the village has had added expense to their wastewater treatment plant because of the increase in flowage from the flooding.

Todd Wahler, Waushara County Zoning/Land Conservation Director, said the area has seepage lakes and what you see is groundwater. We have to get that surface water downstream and groundwater moves at 3 to 6 ft. per day.  He added that Lake Michigan is 19 inches above normal and the Central Sands area is the most studied area including Portage, Adams, and Waushara and they just can’t take any more water.  He said that this is the third year of rising precipitation each year being more than the last. We have seen historical high groundwater.

Adam Freihoefer, Water Use Section Chief, Wisconsin DNR, said the Plainfield area is one of the most studied areas. “We have never seen anything like it in recorded history, and I can’t imagine the frustration,” he said. It is so hard to control and they don’t have a perfect solution, they just have to hope it stops, he added.  The decline in the water table will happen quickly if there is a dry spell. He agreed it is a problem for engineers to address, as the water has to go somewhere.

Following the discussion, Makaryk said the village board would consider an engineering plan for the East Road area where the retention pond is located and would also talk to the Waushara County Health Department about the stagnant water issues.

Brenda Black, Clerk/Treasurer, told the Argus the board did approve getting a quote from MSA, an engineer firm, to study the retention pond area on East Road at their regular meeting.  She also confirmed they board will look at the health concerns.  MSA will have a quote prepared for the board to consider and vote on at their regular meeting on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Plainfield Municipal Building.