Kern Park/Pleasant Valley PCB Sewer Cleanup

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A 2008 investigation identified the Milwaukee Die Cast Company, located at 4132 North Holton Street in the City of Milwaukee, as the primary source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s), that were coating sewers in this area. PCB’s are legacy chemicals that were banned in 1978 and require removal to avoid problems in the future and keep our rivers and lake clean. The USEPA removed the PCB’s at the business site. MMSD is now preparing to remove and safely dispose of the PCB contamination that remains in the sewers.


Project Overview
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is partnering with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to clean sewers located west of the Milwaukee River along North Humboldt Boulevard between East Capitol Drive and East Locust Street known as “Basin H”. This project is part of a larger initiative to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC).

A qualified contractor will use powerful vacuum equipment and specially outfitted trucks with sealed liquid containers to complete the cleaning process through manholes located along North Humboldt Boulevard and in Kern and Pleasant Valley Parks. Precautions will be made to secure the work sites and prevent any sediment from migrating further downstream.

Please see MMSD project page here, Basin H Sewers PCB Cleanup | MMSD

Project components include:

  • Cleaning of the sewers and removal of the contaminated sediments
  • Drying out of the removed sediment and containment of the water
  • Testing of the sediment for PCB’s and appropriate disposal
  • Treatment (to remove PCB’s) of all wastewater captured as part of the sediment removal and sewer cleaning process
  • Testing the treated wastewater for PCB’s before putting it back into the sewer system
  • Televise the sewer with cameras to ensure sediment has been removed
  • Perform pre‐cleaning and post‐cleaning sampling of sewers and work areas

Project Update

The sewers in E Vienna Ave and Kern Park are currently being cleaned. There will be temporary traffic control such as parking restrictions and barricades so take notice. There will also be temporary access point closures on the Milwaukee River Greenway trails.

Project Timeline

The project timeline is subject to change.

  • 2016 - 2021: Project Design
  • Winter 2022 - Late 2023: PCB Removal, Treatment, Disposal, and Site Restoration Work

A 2008 investigation identified the Milwaukee Die Cast Company, located at 4132 North Holton Street in the City of Milwaukee, as the primary source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s), that were coating sewers in this area. PCB’s are legacy chemicals that were banned in 1978 and require removal to avoid problems in the future and keep our rivers and lake clean. The USEPA removed the PCB’s at the business site. MMSD is now preparing to remove and safely dispose of the PCB contamination that remains in the sewers.


Project Overview
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is partnering with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to clean sewers located west of the Milwaukee River along North Humboldt Boulevard between East Capitol Drive and East Locust Street known as “Basin H”. This project is part of a larger initiative to clean up the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern (AOC).

A qualified contractor will use powerful vacuum equipment and specially outfitted trucks with sealed liquid containers to complete the cleaning process through manholes located along North Humboldt Boulevard and in Kern and Pleasant Valley Parks. Precautions will be made to secure the work sites and prevent any sediment from migrating further downstream.

Please see MMSD project page here, Basin H Sewers PCB Cleanup | MMSD

Project components include:

  • Cleaning of the sewers and removal of the contaminated sediments
  • Drying out of the removed sediment and containment of the water
  • Testing of the sediment for PCB’s and appropriate disposal
  • Treatment (to remove PCB’s) of all wastewater captured as part of the sediment removal and sewer cleaning process
  • Testing the treated wastewater for PCB’s before putting it back into the sewer system
  • Televise the sewer with cameras to ensure sediment has been removed
  • Perform pre‐cleaning and post‐cleaning sampling of sewers and work areas

Project Update

The sewers in E Vienna Ave and Kern Park are currently being cleaned. There will be temporary traffic control such as parking restrictions and barricades so take notice. There will also be temporary access point closures on the Milwaukee River Greenway trails.

Project Timeline

The project timeline is subject to change.

  • 2016 - 2021: Project Design
  • Winter 2022 - Late 2023: PCB Removal, Treatment, Disposal, and Site Restoration Work
Page last updated: 18 Jun 2024, 12:05 PM