MMSD Freshwater Resources Monitoring: 2025 Annual Summary

05/19/26 01:00:pm

View of Lake Michigan on the Milwaukee shoreline at sunrise

How healthy are the waterways in your community? The 2025 Water Quality Summary Report provides an inside look at the condition of local streams and Lake Michigan, along with the efforts being made to protect them. It’s an easy way to stay informed about the waters you enjoy every day.

View the 2025 Report

The Freshwater Resources Monitoring group conducts routine surface water monitoring at nearly 100 fixed monitoring sites within the MMSD planning area and Lake Michigan. Field measurements and grab samples are taken at these sites under all weather conditions and brought to the in-house certified laboratory for analysis of almost 40 different parameters.

To summarize the large amount of data collected each year, the Freshwater Resources Monitoring group produces an annual report that highlights a specific subset of parameters and/or sites. The parameters highlighted in this report have numeric criteria established by the WDNR and are common pollutants in the region.

MMSD Water Quality Monitoring Infographic

Why Does MMSD Monitor Our Freshwater?

Monitor the impacts of MMSD projects and water reclamation facilities on the waterways
Develop historical data
Share data with the public and research partners
Document trends in the waterways
Early detection of issues in the waterways

MMSD Freshwater Monitoring team taking a sample