6. 2000 through 2005 were not good years
Mistrust
Media Blitz
Lawsuits
Public Outrage
Politics
7. So, what did we do?
I decided we had to do something different, so we:
•Continued building grey infrastructure
(we excelled at this and it needed to be done)
•Develop better science
(People believe scientists)
•Start speaking to the public
(Sewer School)
•Seek out collaborations
(We are all environmentalists!)
•Initiate green infrastructure program
(I knew I would “own the risk”, so it is personal)
8. I knew we needed to integrate Grey and Green:
Start with a grey backbone…
•Treatment Plants
•Sewers
•Storage Vessels…
But then go Green…
•Rain Barrels
•Rain Gardens
•Bioretention…
9. Marquette University
Beach Closing Study
Fate and Transport Study
Storm sewer sampling
Cladophora Study
New Partner – The UWM Great Lakes Water Institute and
Many, many more
10. New Partner – The Conservation Fund
Greenseams
Greenseams®
2,300 Acres Since 2002
11. New Partner – The Milwaukee Community Service Corps
and individuals
Rain Barrels
12. New Partner – The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Water Quality Initiative
WWTP
5%
SSO's
Urban-Non- 2%
Agricultural
Runoff
23%
WWTP SSO's
2% 2%
CSO's
CSO's 7%
49%
Rural-
Rural- Agricultural
Agricultural Runoff
Runoff Urban-Non- 21%
21% Agricultural
Runoff
1975 68%
2000
Estimated Pollutant Reduction over 25-Year Period About 50 Percent
CONCLUSION: Focus on abating stormwater runoff pollution
13. New Partners – Multiple Organizations
Green Roofs
Mequon
MMSD
MillerCoors
Milwaukee
County
Zoo
16. Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust
1000 Friends of Wisconsin Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers
Clean Wisconsin
River Revitalization Foundation
16th Street Community Health Center
River Alliance
Editorial: Watershed trust can be a force for regional unity
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 4, 2008
18. New Partners – American Rivers
Green Infrastructure
Program
19. So, Watershed Collaboration = Friends with Green Benefits
•Sustainable Infrastructure
•Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
•A regional green infrastructure program
•Improved understanding of the W’s (what, why, when)
•Increased financial resources (Joyce Foundation and GLRI)
•As collaborations grow, they multiply
•And to me most importantly, true friendships
Mayor Barrett
20.
21. And,
•Partner with Agricultural Community
•Continue to educate stakeholders
•Finalize the watershed permit on the Menomonee River
•Develop a water quality trading program that works in
Wisconsin
•Attain our 2035 Vision
AND – we need your help
Deep Tunnel System that protects the service area against sewer overflows.Read off slideMake special note of last bullet point – it was designed to have one to two overflows per year.
