November, 2021

I am writing on behalf of Preserve Burnett County to voice our concern over the inadequacy of the water usage standard currently applied to state-licensed campgrounds. We would like to enlist your support in updating this standard. 

Preserve Burnett County represents over 1,600 residents and property owners who are invested in the quiet use and enjoyment of land within Burnett County and committed to ensuring that this area continues to be a beautiful place to live, work, raise a family and retire. 

Since the passage of WI Act 67 in 2017, Burnett County has been inundated with applications for new campgrounds and campground expansions — there’s been a 60% increase in the number of campsites in the last five years.  New and expanded campgrounds require the installation of a private on-site wastewater treatment system (POWTS); transfer tanks are no longer allowed. 

Correct sizing and management of campground POWTS is critical to the health, safety and general welfare of campground occupants and nearby residents. Wisconsin residents currently use an average of 56 gallons of water per person, per day for indoor domestic/household activities. The Wisconsin standard for water usage in campgrounds and POWTS design is 30 gallons per day (GPD), per campsite, woefully out-of-date and inadequate. Consider that: 

• Modern RV “camping units” include multiple sinks, showers, and in some cases dishwashers. 
• Park Model Cabins, which are also used as “camping units”, include all the amenities of modern RVs, plus in-unit laundry facilities. 
• Many RVs and Park Model units can easily accommodate 10+ guests during peak usage, a much greater capacity than most campsites are assumed to house for the purposes of POWTS sizing. 
• Other states that have revised their GPD standard more recently have dramatically increased their estimated per-camping-unit GPD water usage standard for the purposes of sizing POWTS systems, for example 120-175 GPD in North Carolina campgrounds.  

Please join us in calling on state and local regulatory agencies and other units of government to reevaluate the GPD water usage standard for Wisconsin campgrounds.
 

Thank you in advance for your consideration. 

Preserve Burnett County