About the Milwaukee Water Works

The Milwaukee Water Works is a national leader in providing high quality, healthful drinking water.

The first-ever report on strategies to build water workforce equity in Milwaukee was recently released by the Milwaukee Water Works, the US Water Alliance, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and other Milwaukee leaders representing local utilities, nonprofits, and philanthropy. An Equitable Water Future: Milwaukee will guide the water community as it builds the water workforce to better reflect the diversity of its citizens. The report recommends specific actions in three categories:

• Strengthen collaboration within the local water sector
• Build awareness of water careers
• Change workforce and procurement policies and practices to make them more equitable.

The Milwaukee Water Works is owned by the City of Milwaukee. Policy is set by the Mayor and Common Council. We adhere to regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for facilities, operations, and water quality. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) sets water rates and service charges and monitors our accounting.

We purify Lake Michigan water to provide pure and fresh drinking water to 866,993 people in 16 communities in Milwaukee, Ozaukee and Waukesha Counties.

• Average daily pumpage in 2020 was 89.1 million gallons.
• We maintain 1,960 miles of water mains, 19,889 hydrants and 50,460 valves.
• Daily per-person, indoor and outdoor use in Milwaukee is 41 gallons.
• The utility has 345 employees in Plants, Distribution, Business, Engineering, and Water Quality work units.
• 2020 Utility General Information 
• View all annual reports
• View our Milwaukee Water Works infographic
• Here is our Milwaukee Water World Map

In September 2020, the WIAWWA presented the Milwaukee Water Works with its Utility Achievement Award for Ongoing Excellence for obtaining DNR accreditation of its Water Quality Laboratory. The lab is certified for 30 water quality parameters, including Lead and Copper, using USEPA and Standard Methods. The MWW Water Quality Laboratory aims to continue to be a leader in research and collaboration.

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) honored the Milwaukee Water Works with its 2016 Outstanding Subscriber Award for Applied Research for the utility response during the two decades following the 1993 Cryptosporidium crisis. Read the Milwaukee Water Works ozone research story. 

The award honors utilities that successfully apply research to make notable improvements to their water treatment, delivery and management processes and "celebrates the persistence and dedication of some of WRF's most influential partners." Milwaukee continues to participate in WRF projects benefitting the drinking water community, as seen in a video here.

Investing in infrastructure continues to be a priority, banking on investments in the first 25 years after the Cryptosporidium crisis, $508 million, to ensure a reliable supply of safe drinking water.

The Milwaukee Water Works was founded on April 18, 1871 and following construction of the actual “works,” began operations September 14, 1874. Read highlights of our first 150 years in our history brochure

We are proud to serve as the longest continuously operating water utility in Wisconsin. The Linnwood Water Treatment Plant was named a Water Landmark by the American Water Works Association in 2019. The plant has been continuously operating since 1939. The North Point Water Tower was designated a Water Landmark in 1969, the inaugural year of the award.