MMSD Green Luminary® Award | City of West Allis

12/04/23 10:00:am

The City of West Allis is using green infrastructure to help manage water where it falls near the popular Farmers Market.

The City of West Allis is using green infrastructure to help manage water where it falls near the popular West Allis Farmers Market. Located in the heart of downtown, the well-attended market, along with nearby condos and apartments, provides an ideal setting for the public to see and learn about the benefits of green infrastructure. The porous pavement and bioswales that were installed provide up to 16,000 gallons of capture capacity each time it rains.

The porous pavement lets water pass through into a storage area underground. Bioswales collect stormwater from hard surfaces, like streets, and allow it to soak into the ground. The roots of the plants in the bioswales help remove pollution like road salt and lawn chemicals.

Managing water on site helps protect our local waterways by reducing the amount of polluted runoff and helping keep unwanted clear water out of our sewer systems. That helps reduce the likelihood of sewer overflows and basement backups.

This bioswale in West Allis helps collect polluted stormwater runoff, soaks it into the ground, and filters out pollution.
This is an example of a porous pavement system. Rain and stormwater runoff soak into the pavement surface and engineered stone layers. The water then slowly moves down into the ground and is connected to local stormwater sewers or can be collected and stored for future use.

What is a Green Luminary^® Award?

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District gives Green Luminary^® awards to businesses, organizations, and communities that implement exceptional green infrastructure design projects that benefit our lakes and rivers, as well as our communities.

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How You Can Protect Lake Michigan

Plant a Rain Garden

Rain gardens help reduce sewer overflows and water pollution by absorbing stormwater runoff from hard surfaces into the ground naturally. Learn how to plant a rain garden and help protect Lake Michigan.

Text: WATERDROP to 414-296-4422 for Española texto GOTADEAGUA a 414-296-4422

Receive Water Drop Alert text messages when heavy rain threatens the area. When a Water Drop Alert has been issued, a reminder is sent to use less water.

What do you do when an alert is issued?

Hold off on washing dishes and laundry
Take a shorter shower
Empty your rain barrel

Install a Rain Barrel

Get FREE water by the barrel from your roof and use it when it’s dry outside to use in your landscape. Rain barrels help keep excess water out of the sewer system and help reduce water pollution.