Wednesday, June 12, 2013

MMSD Handled Recent Storm Overflows Better Than Chicago

The reason?

More green infrastructure to absorb storm water runoff, says the Journal Sentinel:

7 comments:

Reagan's Disciple said...

The problem isn't green infrastructure, or lack thereof.

The problem is a combined sewer system where rain water mixes with the sewage that is dumped in the lake.

Anonymous said...

Did you even read the article or are you just trigger-responding to the words "green infrastructure", RD?

Shockingly, working with nature is a lot easier than working against it.

Anonymous said...

Wow, Reagan's Disciple, you're really doing a good job showing the world why it's impossible to be a self respecting engineer and a Republican nowadays.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

In addition to the infrastructure improvements, the City has done a lot of good work in mediating runoff and encouraging developers to include stormwater management in their projects. I am not particularly surprised that they are seeing positive results to their efforts.

Also, they have been incrementally and methodically installing separated sewer piping throughout the City. It would be one of those shovel ready infrastructure efforts providing good jobs for thousands if there weren't an entire political party opposed to providing good jobs for thousands.

Reagan's Discple said...

@zombie,

Your correct. Instead we have a democrat mayor in Milwaukee more concerned with a trolly running a few blocks rather than stopping the dumping of millions of gallons of sewage into our lake.

And to my point... you can do all the green infrastructure you want, but the issue is the sewer system. It is time for Milwaukee to stop rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

Anonymous said...

"
And to my point... you can do all the green infrastructure you want, but the issue is the sewer system."

No, the issue is water coming into the sewer system during storms.

You can fix it by building a second sewer system just for stormwater.

Or you can fix it by not paving every inch of the watershed.

Guess which costs less.

Oh, right, you can't. You're too busy showing us all why it's impossible to be a self respecting engineer and a republican nowadays.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

I was just in the Third Ward for a work-related site visit; the streets are teeming with people heading for Pridefest.

The trolley is doing a bang-up business today, and if it was expanded it would be even more effective.

So I don't know what our friend is arguing about. Surely even HE knows that the budget for mass transit is separate from the budget for sewage infrastructure?

Besides, the whole argument falls apart when it is pointed out that prior to the system being installed, there were 50 to 60 overflows each year. Since it was completed, the system averages 2.4 overflows a year. And there were none in 2012.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/mmsds-deep-tunnels-prevented-nearly-50-sewer-overflows-to-waterways-na87v19-185816241.html

Nobody EVER claimed that the tunnel project would eliminate overflows completely.