ROTHSCHILD, WI (WSAU) – Work will begin soon on Rothschild’s new PFAS treatment plant.

Administrator Ryan VanDeWalle says project managers are preparing to remove some large trees from the area. He says they will not clear the entire area, but some large trees will be removed. “We’ve had preliminary meetings with some of the tree removal companies and some large trees will be removed there. However, I want to (emphasize) that we will only be cutting down the trees that are necessary for the project. We are definitely not going to do a clear-cut.”

By September, residents can expect tree removal as workers prepare for construction later this year. The new system will be online by the end of 2025 and will deliver water to customers with less than 4 parts per trillion (PPT) PFAS.

Although the water is safe to drink now, VanDeWalle said the goal is to deliver the best product possible while preparing the treatment plant for future needs. “Maybe it’s phosphorus, maybe it’s chloride. We’re building this plant (and thinking about) what regulations might come in the future from the EPA, the DNR or both. That way we can make sure we’re taking them into account.”

“We want to make sure that the villagers and anyone else who wants to connect to the water system have clean drinking water,” VanDeWalle added.

Rothschild is one of many water utilities in central Wisconsin that have been battling PFAS for two years. Authorities in Weston and Wausau are also equipping their water plants with granular activated carbon filter systems to remove the contaminants.

Other topics VanDeWalle discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner:

Start of video – Preparations for Ollie’s

5:10 – Road construction near DCE Senior High

8:10 – Update on PFAS treatment

12:40 p.m. – Mountain Bay Metro Police update