Sustainability In Your Ear: Milwaukee's Kevin Shafer on Circular Thinking in Wastewater Management

"Every gallon of wastewater flowing through a municipal sewer contains recoverable energy, nutrients, and water-assets that the linear "flush and forget" model has long treated as problems to dispose of rather than value to recapture. Meet Kevin Shafer, who has spent more than two decades proving otherwise. As executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) since 2002, he's transformed an agency once mocked as a symbol of government waste into a national model for sustainable infrastructure,"

"Milwaukee's circular approach actually predates the term by nearly a century. In 1926, the district began producing Milorganite -Milwaukee organic nitrogen-a fertilizer made from dried biosolids that most utilities simply spread on fields or incinerate. Today, that product returns $11 to $12 million annually to the city's budget while keeping waste out of landfills. Kevin explains that this foundational commitment to doing the right thing has shaped MMSD's culture ever since: 'We just always look at those type of approaches. It's foundational to the district.'"

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District shifted from a traditional 'flush and forget' sewer model to a circular resource-recovery system that captures energy, nutrients, and water. The district has produced Milorganite fertilizer since 1926, generating $11–$12 million annually and diverting biosolids from landfills. Eight digesters at the South Shore plant now produce 80–85% of the facility's electricity while still leaving enough biosolids for fertilizer production. The district accepts brewery and food-processor organics for co-digestion, lowering disposal costs for partners and boosting biogas generation. The district aims for 100% renewable energy by 2035 and practices Cradle to Cradle design principles.

Read at Earth911