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Portage Township has completed the switchover from old-style mechanical water meters to new, remote-read meters.
The first bills based on the new devices were sent out last month, and Township Supervisor Bruce Peterson said there were very few issues. It takes only about 40 minutes to drive by and collect the data from the 500 buildings in which the meters have been installed. The results are uploaded into a software program, which computes the usage, and quickly produces the bills.
The township is also ready to proceed with a major sewer project. New sewer lines will be added along Green Acres Road and the M-26 corridor, which will provide service to around 60 homes and businesses. Major lines through Dodgeville and Hurontown will also be grouted and sealed to keep groundwater out, thus reducing the amount of sewage that needs to be treated. Part of the cost will be covered by a $2-million dollar US Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant, and an additional $960,000 Rural Development loan. Bids will be taken in January, with an eye toward beginning construction in the spring.
At this week’s board meeting, trustees approved a tentative five-year extension of the Portage Township master plan. It will be sent to various committees and other stakeholders for review before final action is taken. Trustees also agreed to hold a public meeting to discuss how the township should proceed in regard to recreational marijuana. The date for the meeting has not yet been set.
