Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

06/01/2026

Oh Deer! Our maintenance technician and resident wildlife photographer, Chip, spotted a visitor napping on-site earlier this week!

Clean water means healthy ecosystems and apparently, great napping spots.

05/29/2026

Dr. Martin Shafer, senior scientist, from the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, joined our District Commission yesterday in recognition of Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day.

May 22 marked the 3rd annual celebration of this important day, established by Governor Tony Evers, to honor the vital role wastewater treatment facilities play in protecting public health and keeping Wisconsin communities safe.

Our District is proud to be one of the now 44 wastewater treatment facilities across Wisconsin participating in the Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring program, which provides a critical early warning system that helps public health departments, hospitals, and communities monitor and respond to public health threats. In 2025 alone, our team contributed 302 wastewater samples to this statewide effort. What happens behind the scenes makes a big difference for the communities we serve.

05/26/2026

Do you know what I&I stands for?

It's inflow and infiltration, or clear water from rain or groundwater that enters the wastewater system and is treated unnecessarily... and it's entirely preventable.

Learn more: madsewer.org/ii-reduction

05/22/2026

💧 🚽 ♻️ Happy Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day! 🎉

Wastewater treatment is a vital part of public health. Today, we celebrate the dedicated professionals who make it happen every single day.

Behind the scenes, our team works tirelessly to safely clean and return water to the environment, protecting our local ecosystems and the communities we proudly serve. This work often goes unnoticed, but its impact is felt by every person in our service area.

In 2024, Governor Evers signed a proclamation declaring May 22 as Wisconsin's first-ever Wastewater Professionals Appreciation Day — a recognition of the critical role these professionals play in public health.

Today, we say a heartfelt THANK YOU to our amazing wastewater team. We are lucky to have you! 💙

05/21/2026

Throwback Thursday to this wild day! Friendly reminder on what not to flush...

Just because something can physically go down the toilet doesn’t mean it should. Toilets are not trash cans!

Save yourself (and your pipes) the headache! Only flush human waste and toilet paper.

Tuesday night, operators pulled a huge rag ball out of our maci well, which handles some of the screenings at Headworks. The rag ball was so huge, there were even a pair of jeans tangled with the wipes and rags!!! While we didn't get a photo of the huge mass, we did find these extra-large underwear left behind. Extra gross!

The moral is DO NOT flush baby wipes, wipes labeled flushable (they're not actually flushable), used hygiene products or clothing of any type down the drain, no matter what the situation. You can clog pipes at your home or business and also create massive damage to equipment at our plant. The only things that should be flushed are organic bodily exports and toilet paper - these items break down in water along the journey to our plant.

Special thanks to operator Julie Schuh for being a good sport and holding these nasties for a photo op. Photo by operator Brenda Staudenmaier.

05/20/2026

This National Public Works Week (May 17–23), we're shining a spotlight on the communities we serve and the dedicated Public Works and Utilities staff who make our partnership possible.

Your teams' commitment to pollution prevention and sewer and pump station maintenance directly supports our District's operations — and the reliable sewer service our region depends on.

Thank you for everything you do.

05/18/2026

It's our job to make clean water. 💧

Behind every drop returned safely to the environment is an entire team of dedicated professionals: operators, lab chemists, engineers, IT, facilities crews, pollution prevention, collection system services, planners, accountants, mechanics, electricians, and so many more.

Wastewater treatment is an important — and often invisible — service in our communities. It takes a remarkable diversity of skills and people to protect public health and our water, 24 hours a day, every single day.

Thank you to our incredible team — every department, every role, every day — for making clean water your mission. 🙌

Follow along to get behind the scenes & stay connected.

05/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Learning Lavatories Reveal event at the Madison Public Market to get a sneak peek and celebrate the partnerships and collaboration that made this project possible!

We’re incredibly excited for this opportunity to take a big step into the community and continue making the invisible visible. A huge thank you to Art & Sons, City of Madison, Wisconsin Government and Madison Public Market for helping bring this project to life.

What happens to our wastewater is often unseen — and understandably not always top of mind. But with half a million people expected to walk through these doors each year, the Learning Lavatories create a unique opportunity to bring that important work into the light.

These installations are a fun and engaging way to educate the community, strengthen connections to our work, and highlight how we work to protect public health and the environment every step of the way.

We can’t wait for the grand opening and to see these conversations continue to flow throughout the community 🌊

05/14/2026

Wastewater treatment is a 24-hour-a-day job. While many in our communities sleep, we have a dedicated team hard at work monitoring systems, maintaining operations, and solving problems to keep the treatment process running safely and efficiently.

Third shift takes commitment, focus, and teamwork, and we’re incredibly grateful for everything our night operators do every single night. As an added bonus, they often get some of the best views of early morning sunrises and late-night sunsets like this one captured by a night operator while checking thief holes on the digesters one fall evening!

05/11/2026

Summer is coming fast! Hit the beach or pool in style with a new beach towel from the American Red Cross - it's free when you donate blood at our blood drive on Tuesday, May 19.

We’re proud to host our 10th blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross and invite our team, partners, and community to come together and make a difference.

Sign up now: https://f.mtr.cool/rokxarhegn