Horicon Secures Clean Water Loan Funding for Decades-Old Wastewater Plant

The City of Horicon is moving forward with a roughly $30 million upgrade to its aging wastewater treatment facility, a massive infrastructure project that will result in a phased overall increase in sewer revenues over the next four years.
During a May 4 public informational meeting, engineers and financial advisors detailed the necessity of the construction. The facility, which treats about 500,000 gallons of wastewater daily before discharging it into the Rock River, has not seen a major upgrade since the 1980s. Officials noted that replacing the outdated infrastructure and failing electrical panels is critical to ensuring the plant’s operational reliability for the next 20 years.
Additionally, approximately 25% of the project’s cost is dedicated to meeting stricter Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulations. This includes upgrading phosphorus treatment and switching from a chemical chlorine system to an ultraviolet light disinfection process.
“The project is a construction upgrade to the City’s wastewater treatment facility, which will replace outdated infrastructure and install new treatment processes as required to comply with regulations,” read an excerpt from a slideshow shown to those in attendance.
To fund the upgrades, Horicon secured a state Clean Water Fund loan. The program provides the city with $3.1 million in principal forgiveness—and a heavily subsidized 1.69% interest rate over a 30-year term. The total loan will cover a roughly $28.7 million construction bid from J.H. Hassinger, Inc., alongside engineering, legal, administrative, and other costs.

Because Horicon has not raised its sewer rates since 2017, system users will see significant adjustments to cover the utility’s new annual debt. An average residential customer using 3,000 gallons of water per month currently pays $33.24 for sewer service. By 2029, that monthly bill will climb to $81.97, representing a 146% overall increase for the residential class. To ease the transition, the state is allowing Horicon to phase in the changes with annual steps of approximately $12.18 per month from 2026 through 2029.
Construction at the facility is already underway, with final completion slated for December 2028.
Watch the full meeting at: https://www.youtube.com/@CityHallHoricon.