Coordinating Regional Efforts to Protect Valuable Assets: Working Cooperatively with Satellite Municipalities

Abstract

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's (MMSD) continuing collaboration with its satellite municipalities includes a number of efforts that address regional system performance, two of which will be discussed in this paper: (1) the regional Capacity assurance, Management, Operation and Maintenance Program (CMOM), and (2) the Wet Weather Peak Flow Management Program (WWPFMP). The MMSD has chosen to develop and implement these programs in a fashion that will protect regional assets through collaboration with the satellite municipalities.The MMSD is a state-chartered, governmental agency providing regional wastewater conveyance, treatment, and disposal for 29 satellite municipalities within a 411-square mile planning area, within five counties and having a population of about one million. The MMSD is dedicated to protecting public health, property and the environment within all or portions of the six Greater Milwaukee Watersheds. The MMSD's chief responsibilities are to provide sewage treatment services and to maintain and improve over 110 miles of watercourses for nearly all of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, and portions of municipalities in surrounding counties. There are approximately 310 miles of MMSD sewers, 2200 miles of municipal sewers, and other 2,200 miles of private sewers (including laterals).To effectively plan and implement regional programs, the MMSD long ago determined that the inclusion of municipal staff and regulators is needed. Discussion relevant to both CMOM and WWPFMP follows. CMOM.At the outset of CMOM Program development, MMSD insisted that the project be conducted in an innovative fashion -applying the CMOM review process to all of its systems: wastewater collection, wastewater treatment, and watercourse management. Additionally, the MMSD understood that embracing CMOM practices for its assets alone (approximately six percent of the total conveyance system) would not have the desired effect in the region. Consequently, the MMSD and its 29 satellite municipalities have worked collaboratively to develop a regional CMOM approach with a goal of producing improved business practices relative to the region's collection systems.MMSD recognized the importance of consistency amongst its 29 satellite municipalities in developing and implementing CMOM. Stipulation Agreements with the State of Wisconsin requires satellite CMOM compliance within 2 years of MMSD reaching that status. In an effort to insure consistency, the MMSD funded the effort with each satellite municipality to perform a Readiness Review and Compliance Strategies. These efforts are completed, and each satellite 95 Collection Systems 2009