(Milwaukee, WI) – The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Commission today voted to select EMA, Inc, an employee-owned consulting firm headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, to conduct an independent, third-party audit of recent complaints regarding the performance of wastewater management in Milwaukee. The Commission also named an independent, five-person advisory committee to oversee the audit.

The Commission voted to authorize the independent, third-party audit last month and to establish an independent advisory committee to advise the Commission throughout the audit process. Veolia Water Milwaukee is a private company that operates and maintains the region’s wastewater treatment system under a long-term contract with MMSD. The audit will include an examination of Veolia’s compliance with the terms of their contract with MMSD; evaluation of MMSD’s oversight of contract terms; and recommendations for the future to ensure regulatory compliance and address any social, environmental, or economic risks.

The Commission selected EMA after evaluating proposals received from firms with expertise in performance and compliance management. EMA is nationally recognized for guiding utilities and local governments in performance improvement. Their audit team includes deep technical expertise in wastewater operations and maintenance, and interviewers experienced with sensitive issues who are committed to providing a thorough, unbiased analysis to the Commission.

In addition to broad industry expertise, the Commission required that the firm selected to perform the audit disclose any history of work with MMSD, Veolia, and Jacobs Engineering and have no disqualifying conflicts of interest. Veolia and Jacobs are participating in the two-year procurement process for the next contract to operate and maintain the District’s wastewater management system. 

The results of the audit will be communicated directly to the Commission. No members of MMSD management will be involved.

The independent advisory committee advising the Commission throughout the audit includes representatives with expertise in water public policy, municipal plant operations, and community engagement. The Commission also required members of the committee to be free from direct conflicts of interest with MMSD, Veolia, or Jacobs. The independent advisory committee includes:

  • Tom Sigmund, retired Executive Director of NEW Water, the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District
  • Manny Teodoro, Professor at the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Wanda Montgomery, Brown Deer Village President and former Director of Community Partnerships at Children’s Wisconsin
  • Travis Hope, President of KK River Neighbors in Action and longtime Southside and KK River watershed neighbor
  • Jamaal Napoleon, People and Culture Learning Capabilities Lead at ManpowerGroup and longtime Northside neighbor

Commissioner Jeff Stone will serve as the Commission’s liaison to the audit process. Stone and Commission Chair Corey Zetts are non-voting participants in the committee.

“This independent, third-party audit affirms our commitment to meeting the highest standards in wastewater treatment, serving as stewards of a vital utility, and ensuring full transparency with those we serve,” Zetts said. “In selecting EMA and our advisory committee, we prioritized expertise, independence, and freedom from conflicts of interest. This is the best path to objectively determine facts, evaluate potential concerns and ultimately ensure that MMSD operates effectively and efficiently to serve everyone in our region.”

About MMSD

MMSD serves 423 square miles within six watersheds in wastewater treatment, flood management, and green infrastructure. Established by state law, MMSD is governed by eleven commissioners with taxing authority. MMSD serves twenty-nine communities in Wisconsin.

Since 1994, MMSD has captured and cleaned 98.4% of all wastewater in the service area, exceeding the common national benchmark of 85%. Since the Deep Tunnel System came online in 1993, MMSD has averaged 2.2 overflows per year, compared to 50 to 60 overflow events per year previously.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources measures the performance and compliance of wastewater treatment systems across the state through its Compliance Maintenance Annual Report (CMAR). MMSD’s system regularly receives some of the highest scores in the state. From 2014 through 2025, the average CMAR score was 3.99 for MMSD’s Jones Island facility and 3.88 for its South Shore facility on a 4.0 scale. Jones Island received a 4.0 score 11 times in the last 12 years, while South Shore received a 4.0 score 6 times in the last 12 years. This indicates that the facilities treat wastewater effectively and provide a high level of protection for local waterways and Lake Michigan.