MMSD\u2019s Private Property Infiltration & Inflow (PPII) Reduction Program<\/a>, which encourages homeowners to disconnect foundation drains from the sanitary sewer system to reduce basement backups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cMany planning projects aim to improve complex systems to produce long-term public benefits,\u201d he said. \u201cExamining options to improve the effectiveness of the PPII Reduction program was an ideal fit for a planning analysis topic due to its challenges and the many possible options to improve the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 100,000 older homes in the region still need to disconnect foundation drains from the sanitary sewer system. Construction can be disruptive and expensive, and some property owners do not realize their foundation drains pose a risk at all. Meanwhile, MMSD must operate within a limited outreach budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Against that backdrop, students debated alternatives, evaluated tradeoffs, and presented recommendations directly to MMSD leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strategies ranged from adjusting financial incentives to refining outreach and advertising, targeting the highest-risk properties, or working with municipalities on regulatory approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA map showing Milwaukee renter tracts with pre\u20111960 homes and sewer service areas highlighted from an analysis conducted by students Colin Flanner, Jerett Robinson, Tony Spiegel, and Eli Williams.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom analysis to action<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor MMSD, the partnership was more than an academic exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMMSD sees tremendous value in working with students,\u201d said Hannah Johnson, MMSD Public Engagement Specialist. \u201cAnytime there are residents, community members or students who are interested and engaged in this topic, it benefits the MMSD PPII program tremendously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several recommendations moved quickly from presentation into practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are a few items that came up in the presentations that we have already started on, including connecting with Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NIDs) in the City of Milwaukee to pair our efforts with theirs and using past Pipe Check participants to create testimonials for the program,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agency also reviewed homeowner cost trends and adjusted financial support accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne of the largest changes in 2026 financial incentives was an increase in the Foundation Drain Disconnection financial incentive from $2,500 to $3,800, based on trends in homeowner costs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preparing urban planners to make a difference<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAnd MMSD\u2019s exploration of student ideas will continue beyond the initial case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are also planning to explore a few of the other ideas, in 2026 and coming years, including collaborating with the Fresh Coast Resource Center to find opportunities to partner with the Green Summer program, finding other outreach and partnership opportunities, and using characters that help tell the story to homeowners,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For students, seeing movement matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey love to see their work making a difference for their clients and the community,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cThis gives them a great foundation for their professional planning careers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nStory by Oliver J. Johnson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In August 2025, after 6 to 12 inches of rain fell across the Milwaukee region in just 24 hours, flooded basements and damaged homes dominated local headlines. For Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), the historic storm exposed familiar vulnerabilities in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33309,"featured_media":5429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[40,37],"tags":[121],"class_list":["post-5422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urban-planning","category-faculty-stories","tag-rjschnei"],"yoast_head":"\n
School of Architecture & Urban Planning<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n