Ashland Lakefront Affected Area

Contamination Found

In the early 1950’s, the City of Ashland built a wastewater treatment plant – a structure that still stands today – along the lakefront on the site of the former Schroeder Lumber Company sawmill. In 1989, the City explored plans to expand the plant and during this planning, contamination was found in the nearby area. The City notified the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) of the contamination and chose to relocate the wastewater treatment plant to a site on the east side of the City.

Throughout the 1990’s, this contamination was investigated by the WDNR and NSP-Wisconsin. In 1999, a citizen’s petition asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate the site for potential inclusion on the National Priorities List (also known as the Superfund List) of sites requiring cleanup. In September 2002, the EPA formally included this site on the National Priorities List.  >> Learn More