TOWN OF WINNEBAGO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Water could soon be shut off to one Northeast Wisconsin town.
The state has sent letters to 24 property owners in the Town of Winnebago, stating their water service will be cut off August 1.
The unincorporated community inside the Town of Oshkosh has relied on the state for water and sewer services.
Affected properties are near the state-run Winnebago Mental Health Institute.
For over 70 years, the nearby properties received state services since many of the homes used to belong to institution workers.
However, the mental health facility is now serviced through the City of Oshkosh while all other Town of Oshkosh residents receive water through private wells or are in sanitary districts that buy services from neighboring municipalities.
Both the Town of Oshkosh and the state have denied responsible for the Town of Winnebago’s utilities.
The City of Oshkosh says it could provide Winnebago residents with service by either selling them water and sewer through a sanitary district or annexing the properties into the city.
Some residents say the latter would cost them $20,000-$30,000 as they would need to upgrade their property’s utility infrastructure.
The township has hired a lawyer to help figure out its next step.
