MMSD Green Luminary® Award | Milwaukee Public Library

Spread across multiple branches, the Milwaukee Public Library can capture nearly 200,000 gallons of stormwater every rainfall using a variety of green infrastructure to manage water where it falls and help protect our community.

Through a wide variety of green infrastructure (GI) types, such as a green roof, rain gardens, bioswales, and porous pavement, the Milwaukee Public Library has been doing its part to manage water where it falls since 2009. Spread across multiple branches, and highlighted by a 30,000-square-foot green roof atop the Central Library, they have added nearly 200,000 gallons of stormwater management capacity to the Milwaukee area.

Most recently, Milwaukee Public Library completed renovations at five branch locations partially funded through Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s Green Infrastructure Partnership Program (GIPP). The projects contribute nearly 65,000 gallons of capacity to the overall total and consist of renovations at the Center Street, Atkinson, Bay View, Washington Park, and Zablocki branches. All five branches are located in highly urbanized areas surrounded by impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots, and driveways).

The renovations were timed with Milwaukee Public Library plans to address other needs at the locations, in particular, improved Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and traffic flow, saving both time and money.  All of the locations are well suited to further educate the public on local water issues.