The Infrastructure Division has the responsibility for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of all streets, alleys, bridges, public way lighting, traffic control signs and signals, sewers, and underground conduit systems. This division is the largest of four divisions in the Department of Public Works, with a workforce that expands in excess of 1,000 employees during the construction and repair season.
Sewer Maintenance and Problems
- To report problems such as backwater in the basement or clogged sewers, please call, (414) 286-CITY (2489) available 24 hours a day.
Lost item in sewer? If an item is unintentionally deposited into a sewer, the owner of the item can call (414) 286-CITY (2489) between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday and a city crew will attempt to remove the item from the sewer and return it to the owner.
Potholes and Street Maintenance Problems
To report a pothole or other street maintenance problems:
- Call Infrastructure Services Division - Field Operations, (414) 286-CITY (2489).
- Submit an Online Service Request
While we use preventive maintenance to avoid severe pothole problems, potholes usually develop in older pavements as water in cracks in the pavement expands and contracts as it freezes and thaws. Heavy traffic also causes fatigue in pavement weakened by age and frost action. We regularly check for surface problems on streets with older pavement to keep ahead of any problems. We welcome calls from citizens to report situations in their neighborhood or on their traffic routes. If you notice a pothole in a street or alley, please report it to (414) 286-CITY (2489).