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New Facility Marks Major Milestone in Milwaukee Estuary Cleanup

10/20/26 02:00:pm

Contact: Bill Graffin

MMSD Public Information Manager

bgraffin@mmsd.com /(414) 225-2077

Storage Facility Now Open for $450 Million Cleanup of Milwaukee Area Rivers

(Milwaukee, WI) – Completed ahead of schedule and $26 million under budget, the Dredged Material Management Facility (DMMF) is ready to provide safe, secure containment for tons of contaminated sediment that will be removed from the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers, marking a major milestone in this partnership-driven cleanup effort.

drone of dredged material management facility 2026

The Dredged Materials Management Facility looking south, September 2026

“Today marks a major milestone made possible through strong partnership across local, state, and federal agencies. The DMMF is a generational project that gives us the secure, long-term infrastructure needed to restore the health of our rivers and communities for generations to come,” said Kevin Shafer, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD). The facility provides a permanent location to safely contain contaminated sediment removed from the rivers, making it possible to move forward with one of the region's largest environmental cleanup efforts.

MMSD partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), City of Milwaukee and Port Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, We Energies, and other stakeholders to create the new 42-acre storage facility that has the capacity to hold contaminated sediment equivalent to approximately 13 football fields filled to a depth of 50 feet.

“The DMMF is a key piece to addressing pollution in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern. Contaminants including PCBs, petroleum compounds and heavy metals put the Milwaukee Estuary on the list of most polluted Great Lakes sites decades ago,” said DNR Secretary Karen Hyun. “Cleaning up and safely containing this toxic material in the years ahead will improve water quality, restore healthy fish and wildlife and ensure safe enjoyment of these waterways. By continuing our strong partnerships and collaboration, we will accomplish the work ahead to restore Milwaukee’s waters and remove the area of concern designation.”

While Milwaukee and other Great Lakes communities have long used waterfront storage sites for routine harbor dredging, this facility is uniquely designed to safely contain contaminated sediment.

“Milwaukee Harbor District is proud of the collaboration that built the DMMF. The facility will keep hundreds of dump trucks off our roadways, keeping our roads in better shape and reducing emissions,” said Tia Torhorst of Milwaukee Harbor District. “As a partner in centering what is best for Milwaukee area residents during this project, we are ready to support the next steps in the cleanup now that the containment facility is complete.”

It will take at least 30 years to fill the DMMF and an additional 10 years or more for the material to settle and compact. The property will be owned and operated by the Port Milwaukee.

Cleaning up our rivers will:

  • Improve aquatic habitat
  • Support healthier fish and wildlife populations
  • Allow for safer recreational opportunities
  • Help with waterfront revitalization, tourism and quality of life for residents.

The DMMF project is part of a larger initiative to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC).

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Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern

view of downtown milwaukee and hoan bridge

Dredged Materials Management Facility

A Toxic Legacy: Cleaning Up Milwaukee's Waterways