Committee approves MMSD cooperation agreement and grant application for sanitary lateral rehab program

The committee approved an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) and a related grant application for private property inflow and infiltration rehabilitation.

Robert Slaney of DPW’s environmental engineering section said the Roosevelt Drive sewer project included small pieces of sanitary sewer constructed by MMSD that will be transferred back to the city; DPW confirmed the city will take maintenance responsibility. On the private property program Slaney described the 2026 sanitary lateral rehabilitation program: crews identify laterals that are discharging sanitary sewage to storm sewers, trace those discharges using simple chemical sampling (ammonia detection) and isolate sources upstream, and then perform repairs. He said the incoming grant covers about 120 properties and that in prior years the work was done in groups of 60–75 per year.

Aldermen asked about how properties are selected and costs; Slaney said the program uses laboratory screening of storm sewers and field investigation, and that contract crews may use open‑cut or trenchless pipe‑bursting methods depending on site conditions. The committee ordered adoption.