Equity Case Study:
MMSD in Milwaukee, WI
How MMSD in Milwaukee, WI Supports Green Infrastructure Maintenance Through Partnerships and Creativity
| Region | Midwest USA | Principle | Deliver Benefits |
| City | Greater Milwaukee Area | Best Practice | Follow through on promises throughout construction and maintenance |
| Population | 1 million | ||
| Partners | Milwaukee Community Service Corps |
“I feel like this program helped me improve and made me more knowledgeable about how to properly use tools and to get the credentials and certifications I need. Thank you very much!”
–Darron, Participant
Project Description
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has decades of experience developing innovative programs to support the planning, design, construction and vegetation establishment of green infrastructure. MMSD’s Fresh Coast Resource Center began in 2017 to help empower people, homeowners, businesses, nonprofits and governments with green infrastructure projects to help MMSD reach its 2035 Vision of 740 million gallons captured by green infrastructure each time it rains.
The Milwaukee Community Service Corps
Best Practices in Action
Due to restrictions on the use of operations and maintenance budgets to pay for green infrastructure maintenance, MMSD reframed maintenance as vegetation establishment to be able to use their capital budget. MMSD reimburses property owners from their capital budget for green infrastructure projects if the owner agrees to a conservation easement. The conservation easement requires the owner to maintain green infrastructure installations for 11 to 20 years. MMSD’s newest community-based green infrastructure programs fund the first five years of vegetation establishment and then the property owner maintains the green infrastructure for the remainder of the conservation easement.
Finding a skilled workforce to maintain green infrastructure is a challenge, so MMSD secured a grant in 2022 from the Department of Labor for $1 million each year for three years for a training program. They partner with the Milwaukee Community Service Corps, Employ Milwaukee Inc., and the Center for Adult Experiential Learning (CAEL) to provide paid training to participants in green infrastructure maintenance and construction. This program provides valuable hands-on job experience through long-term partnerships with public entities like schools and libraries, enhancing green infrastructure maintenance efforts across MMSD’s service area.