Kiera Jefferson
The Milwaukee River has been heavily polluted by industrial waste and sewage since the 19th century. The river's estuary has been designated an Area of Concern by the EPA since 1987, making it one of 43 hot spots on the Great Lakes. The Milwaukee River Basin scored a C- (70.68%) in overall river health in 2020, with particular issues regarding phosphorus, bacteria, and conductivity. The river continues to be contaminated by PCBs, PAHs, and heavy metals, with the EPA and local partners working to remediate the issue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| River Health Score in 2020 | C- (70.68%) |
| Reasons for Poor Score | Phosphorus, Bacteria, Conductivity |
| Phosphorus Sources | Fertilizers, Sewage, Manure, Industrial Sources, Corrosion Inhibitors |
| Bacteria Sources | Sewage, Manure, Wildlife, Dogs, Other Natural Sources |
| Conductivity Impact | Nutrients in “charged” forms (nitrates, phosphates, etc.), Road Salt, Deicing Products |
| Pollutants | Salt, Pesticides, Fertilizers, Oil, Grease, Pathogenic Organisms, Heavy Metals, PCBs, PHAs, Mercury |
| Contaminated Sediment Remediation | 330,000 cubic yards of sediment remediated at a cost of $65.6 million |
| Contaminated Sediment Remediation Goal | Remediate up to 1.4 million cubic yards of sediment |
| River Cleanup Importance | Clean water is essential to a high quality of life in southeast Wisconsin |
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What You'll Learn
The Milwaukee River's history of pollution
The Milwaukee River has a long history of pollution, which has had a significant impact on the city and its waterways. In the decades following the Civil War, Milwaukee's growing population began to contaminate the city's groundwater. As a result, the city began work on a sewage system in 1869, but this only diverted raw sewage into the rivers, turning them into little more than open sewers. The Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic rivers were particularly affected, with animal feces and rainwater combining to form "streams of liquid filth".
In 1880, the city attempted to address the issue by creating a system of pipes that led liquid waste to a pumping station on Jones Island, pumping it out into Lake Michigan. However, this did little to improve the quality of the river water, as pollution was also coming from heavy industries located along the riverfront. Tanneries and stockyards were among the most significant sources of industrial runoff, with waste products such as oil and grease, coal tar, hide scrapings, heavy metals, PCBs, and PHAs being dumped directly into the rivers.
The state finally forced the city to take action on water contamination in 1909, and a special commission was appointed to develop a system to treat sewage and filter lake water. However, due to the high cost, the city was slow to adopt these recommendations. It wasn't until 1926 that a modern sewage treatment facility went into service, and the water filtration system didn't come online until 1939.
Despite these efforts, the river continued to be polluted, and in 1987, the Milwaukee Estuary was designated a federally recognised Area of Concern (AOC). This designation was due to historical river modifications, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, and pollution that contributed toxic contaminants to the rivers and Lake Michigan. The primary contaminants were identified as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and heavy metals.
Since then, there have been ongoing efforts to clean up and restore the Milwaukee River and its surrounding waterways. The Deep Tunnel system, which opened in 1993, has helped to improve water quality, and various remediation projects have been undertaken to address contaminated sediment in the AOC. While the water in Milwaukee's rivers is noticeably cleaner today, the legacy of industrial pollution remains, with contaminants still endangering human health and aquatic life.
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The impact of industrial waste
The Milwaukee River has a long history of pollution, with the river and its estuary being designated as a federal Area of Concern since 1987. The river has been subjected to various forms of pollution, including industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff.
Industrial Waste
Milwaukee's industrial past has had a significant impact on the pollution of the Milwaukee River. For generations, local industries such as machine shops, tanneries, breweries, and manufactured gas plants dumped their waste products directly into the river. These waste products included oil and grease, coal tar, hide scrapings, heavy metals, PCBs, and PHAs. While human and animal waste dissipated over time, the industrial pollutants persisted, endangering human health, killing aquatic organisms, causing deformities in fish, and compromising Milwaukee's reputation as a global water hub.
The true extent of the industrial ground pollution has only recently come to light as the land once occupied by factories and plants is assessed for redevelopment. There are currently two partially remediated "Superfund" sites in Milwaukee County, where the land and water are badly contaminated by industrial runoff and improper waste disposal, posing a danger to public health and safety.
The Milwaukee River Basin once had several dams that served industrial purposes, such as powering woolen, grist, or lumber mills. While most of these mills no longer exist, the dams remain and can impact the health of the river. For example, the dam in Cascade, WI, has resulted in the pond becoming about ⅔ full with silt, and invasive weeds and algae fill the remaining open water. This affects the temperature of the water downstream, negatively impacting cold-water species like trout.
Sewage and Agricultural Runoff
In addition to industrial waste, the Milwaukee River has also been affected by sewage and agricultural runoff. As the population of Milwaukee grew, the city's sewage system diverted raw sewage into the rivers, and animal waste from the streets also ended up in the waterways. While attempts were made to address this issue, such as the creation of a pumping station on Jones Island in 1880, the pollution from heavy industries continued to degrade the water quality.
Agricultural practices can also contribute to water pollution through the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and manure storage areas. These pollutants can be carried by rainwater into nearby waterways, impacting water quality and posing potential health risks to those who consume the water.
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The role of human waste
The Milwaukee River has been heavily polluted by human waste over the years, with the river acting as an open sewer for the city's sewage and wastewater. The river's pollution can be traced back to the transformation of the land from swamp to dry ground, which removed natural defences against contamination. As the population of Milwaukee grew, particularly after the Civil War, the use of outhouses and privies led to groundwater contamination. The city's attempt to address this issue by constructing a sewage system in 1869 only diverted raw sewage into the river, further degrading its water quality.
The Milwaukee River became inundated with human and animal waste, as well as industrial pollutants from local industries. Machine shops, tanneries, breweries, and manufactured gas plants dumped their waste products, including oil and grease, coal tar, hide scrapings, heavy metals, PCBs, and PHAs, directly into the river. This led to the river becoming a federally designated Area of Concern in 1987, recognising the significant impairment of beneficial uses due to human activities.
The human waste in the river contains pathogenic organisms, which are disease-causing organisms found in human intestines. These organisms can cause various diseases and infections when consumed through contaminated water. While these disease-causing organisms are difficult to measure directly, the presence of high levels of non-pathogenic bacteria, known as fecal coliforms, indicates sewage contamination.
The impact of human waste on the river's ecosystem is significant. When large amounts of organic waste enter the river, the rapid multiplication of bacteria and decay processes can deplete the oxygen levels below what is required by living organisms. This has consequences for fish and other aquatic life, with reports of deformities in fish populations.
Efforts to remediate the river's pollution have been ongoing. The Deep Tunnel system, opened in 1993, has helped improve water quality. Additionally, the Milwaukee Estuary AOC has been established, with projects aimed at enhancing fish habitats and improving water quality. The city has also implemented measures to treat sewage and filter lake water, although these initiatives have been slow to be adopted due to their immense cost.
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Efforts to clean up the river
The Milwaukee River has been treated as an open sewer and dumping ground for many years, with contaminants coming from human waste, animal waste, and industrial pollution. In 1880, the city attempted to address this issue by creating a system of pipes that led liquid waste away from the rivers and out into Lake Michigan. However, this did little to improve the quality of the river water as industrial pollution continued to be a major issue.
Since then, there have been several significant efforts to clean up the Milwaukee River and improve water quality. Here are some key initiatives:
- The establishment of the Sewerage Commission of the City of Milwaukee in 1913, which modernized the sewage treatment process, leading to the operation of a treatment facility on Jones Island in 1926.
- The 1967 Clean Air Act, which compelled the city to address air pollution and reduce solid particle pollutants. This led to a transition away from coal-based power plants and incentives for factories to reduce smoke output.
- Federal laws in 1972 and 1977 that mandated improvements in the sewage system and river water quality. This included the passing of the Clean Water Act, which recognized the obligation to clean up the city's waterways.
- The Milwaukee River Floodplains Cleanup project, led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aims to address legacy contaminants in the river's floodplains and restore wildlife habitats. This is a multi-partner effort involving various organizations, including the Milwaukee County Parks.
- The Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC) Project, which is a collaborative initiative to clean up waterways and restore habitats across the county. This project involves the Parks and the AOC, as well as the Waterway Restoration Partnership (WRP).
- The recent Milwaukee River Greenway Habitat Restoration Project, led by Milwaukee County Parks, focuses on enhancing and restoring wildlife habitats along the river. This project complements the sediment cleanup efforts and requires coordination between Parks, the EPA, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
- The ongoing cleanup of contaminated sediment in portions of the Milwaukee River near the Third Ward, led by We Energies and their contractors. This project aims to remove approximately 45,000 cubic yards of sediment associated with the former Third Ward Manufactured Gas Plant.
These efforts to clean up the Milwaukee River and improve water quality are ongoing, with the EPA estimating that restoration and remediation projects will be completed between 2027 and 2030.
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The river's current state
The Milwaukee River has been severely polluted by human activity. Since 1987, the Milwaukee estuary has been a federally designated Area of Concern (AOC), one of 43 hot spots on the Great Lakes. The river's pollution stems from both point and non-point sources, including historic industrial discharges, wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer overflows, and agricultural and urban runoff.
The primary contaminants in the Milwaukee River are Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals. These pollutants have accumulated in the sediment of the river, posing a danger to human health and the local ecosystem. High levels of PCBs and mercury have been found in fish, leading to consumption advisories for specific water bodies in Wisconsin. The river also faces issues with pathogenic organisms, which are disease-causing organisms found in human waste, as well as high levels of phosphorus, bacteria, and conductivity.
The Milwaukee River Basin scored a C- (70.68%) in overall river health in 2020. While this was an improvement from previous years due to less rainfall and stormwater runoff, the basin continues to struggle with pollutants from fertilizers, sewage, manure, industrial sources, and road salt. The contamination of the river has had economic implications for the region, impacting tourism and the utilisation of the river for recreational activities.
Efforts are being made to clean up and restore the Milwaukee River. The Deep Tunnel system, opened in 1993, has helped improve water quality. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local partners are working on remediation and restoration projects to address contaminated sediments and enhance the fish and wildlife habitat. The South Shore Beach Rehabilitation project, expected to begin in 2024, aims to reduce human health risks and improve water quality. The Havenwoods State Forest rehabilitation project will restore native plants and habitats, and several parks along the Milwaukee River Greenway will be restored to support a diverse range of species. These initiatives are vital for the health of the river and the surrounding ecosystem, as well as for the economic opportunities they present for the region.
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Frequently asked questions
The Milwaukee River has been heavily polluted in the past, with industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural and urban runoff all contributing to the problem. While the river is noticeably cleaner today, it still contains "legacy" contaminants that endanger human health and wildlife. The Milwaukee River Basin scored a C- (70.68%) in overall river health in 2020.
The main types of pollution found in the Milwaukee River include toxic substances such as heavy metals, organic chemicals, and PBTs (Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic substances). Other pollutants of concern include oxygen-demanding substances, pathogenic organisms, and nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which can cause harmful algae blooms.
The Milwaukee River Estuary has been designated an Area of Concern (AOC) by the EPA, and various projects are underway to remediate contaminated sediment, enhance fish and wildlife habitats, and improve water quality. The Deep Tunnel system, which opened in 1993, has also helped to reduce pollution levels in the river.
