Protecting Lake Michigan

Sustainability is the heart of what we do. The water reclamation services we perform on behalf of MMSD complete and sustain the local water cycle - from Lake Michigan, to your home, through the reclamation facilities, and back into Lake Michigan. On an average day we treat upwards of 150 million gallons of wastewater to strict environmental standards. Since 2008, MMSD and Veolia Water Milwaukee have worked together to protect Lake Michigan.

Compliance record

99.95% compliance with effluent quality limits since 2008.

Compliance means how the treated water leaving the facilities meets the limits set in the system's environmental permits. It is continuously measured, reported to regulators and recorded in publicly available data. The result is a strong, long-term record of protecting Lake Michigan.

 

Effluent quality

The quality of treated water discharged to Lake Michigan meets or exceeds state water-quality requirements, including applicable permit limits. All of the plants' effluent discharge records are publicly available, and these records demonstrate a strong record of compliance - 99.95% compliance with effluent quality limits since 2008.

 

Oversight

The system operates under continuous, three-tier oversight:

  • MMSD provides contractual oversight, with full access to operational and maintenance records.
  • The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) provides state oversight through its permitting and enforcement programs.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides oversight of the WDNR’s programs and acts as a federal backstop. Extensive reporting and public compliance data accompany this oversight.

 

Capture & Clean Rate

Since 1994, 98.4% of all stormwater and wastewater that has entered the regional sewer system has been captured & treated.

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