MMSD Green Luminary® Award | City of Wauwatosa

The City of Wauwatosa is taking action to manage water where it falls; with the Menomonee River running through the Community, Wauwatosa knows the value of protecting our local waterways and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle. The City has partnered with MMSD and the Fresh Coast Resource Center to promote green infrastructure strategies that capture, infiltrate, and slow the flow of stormwater. In addition to greening city streets and parking lots, the City of Wauwatosa has undertaken a green alley program. Green alleys capture and slow the flow of rainwater falling on surrounding hard surfaces. To date, the City of Wauwatosa has installed 17 green alleys, with five more on the way in 2020.  The green alleys feature new concrete paving, storm sewer relay, surface restorations, and sidewalk and drive approaches in alleyways. These alleys reduce stormwater runoff, help clean and recharge groundwater, and reduce localized flooding.

The Green Luminary Award-winning green alley program is just one of the ways that the City of Wauwatosa is working to protect local waterways and improve the quality of life in their community.  In 2018, Wauwatosa also participated in a Green Summer Program, this program encouraged residents to think about stormwater and take an active role with simple solutions like rain gardens and rain barrels, to help protect Lake Michigan and the waterways in their community.  Working together residents and the Wauwatosa Department of Public Works are making significant progress towards a more sustainable future and healthier waterways.