AN EQUITABLE WATER FUTURE Milwaukee Water shapes economic growth, the environment, and the ABOUT THE social fabric of our communities. Ensuring that all people WATER EQUITY have access to safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater services is the cornerstone of a sustainable TASKFORCE and prosperous nation. We all have a role to play in forging progress. The Water Equity Taskforce is a network of cities that work together to develop more equitable water policies and practices. Convened by the US Water Alliance—and composed of cross-sector teams in the cities of Atlanta, Buffalo, Camden, Cleveland, Louisville, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh—this initiative is advancing the understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and promising inter- ventions to promote equitable water management. The Milwaukee Water Equity Taskforce came together to expand workforce opportunities tied to the water sector. The Milwaukee team brings together leaders from water and sewer utilities, local colleges, workforce agencies, nonprofits, philanthropy, environmental organizations, and community organizations focused on workforce develop ment. The team developed this report as a collaborative framework for advancing equity in Milwaukee’s water workforce. Milwaukee Water Equity Taskforce An Equitable Water Future: Milwaukee 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The US Water Alliance is grateful to the Berkman Charitable Trust, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and the Turner Foundation for their support of the seven-city Water Equity Taskforce. This document was developed by the Milwaukee Water Equity Taskforce, whose members include: Century City Triangle Neighborhood Association Yvonne McCaskill Cream City Conservation Corps August Ball Employ Milwaukee Greater Milwaukee Foundation Lamont Smith Groundwork Milwaukee Deneine Powell Milwaukee Area Technical College Kathleen Bates Milwaukee County Register of Deeds Israel Ramón Milwaukee JobsWork Michael Adams Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Kevin Shafer Lisa Sasso Milwaukee Water Commons Brenda Coley Kirsten Shead Joe Fitzgerald Milwaukee Water Works Karen Dettmer Aaron Saeugling US Water Alliance Gina Wammock 2 US Water Alliance PREFACE Milwaukee positions itself as a water-centric city—a hub Notably, a number of efforts are already underway to of innovation and investment in water technology and advance water workforce equity in Milwaukee. The infrastructure, and an area rich in water resources that Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), in provide opportunities for recreation and well-being. collaboration with Cream City Conservation and Employ Yet, Milwaukee’s water workforce does not reflect the Milwaukee, recently launched the Fresh Coast Ambassador diversity of its residents. To build a more equitable work- program to prepare young adults in Milwaukee to enter force, we must identify, understand, and address barriers the water workforce. MMSD has initiated an apprentice- to entry, particularly for people living in communities that ship program along with “banning the box” on job face limited economic and social opportunities. applications—meaning that the applications no longer include questions about applicants’ criminal records. The Milwaukee Water Equity Taskforce was convened to Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) is defining new partner­ explore pathways to a more equitable water future and ships to build a stronger pipeline for potential future inclusive workforce in Milwaukee. Its members represent employees, with outreach starting in grade school and a range of stakeholder interests—utilities, nonprofits, extending through colleges and universities. MWW has neighborhood associations, workforce development developed a youth apprenticeship program to provide organizations, and educational institutions. Together, we high school students with experience working in the water spent the last two years investigating the factors that distri bution and machinery repair programs. Partnering limit entry into the water workforce for members of with Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), MWW historically marginalized communities and defining actions welcomes interns from the Environmental Health and that can be taken to remove those barriers. This Water Water Quality Technology Associate Degree program Equity Roadmap and the accompanying Needs Assessment to gain experience working in MWW’s treatment plants are the outcomes of our work. and water quality laboratories. The issues affecting workforce equity are deeply ingrained. The recommendations in this document call for stronger In Milwaukee, a history of racial segregation, rising collaboration among all those in Milwaukee’s water sector income inequality, and the growth of mass incarceration and meaningful changes to workplace culture, policies, prevent many workers from climbing above the poverty and practices. We believe that advancing these recommen- line. Changing the way things are will require a commit- dations will help ensure that the economic, environmental, ment from all of us in the water sector. We are energized and social benefits resulting from community investments by this challenge and by the many conversations we had in water are more equitably shared by all. with community members during this project. Kevin Shafer Karen Dettmer Brenda Coley and Radhika Fox Executive Director, Superintendent, Kirsten Shead Chief Executive Officer, Milwaukee Metropolitan Milwaukee Water Works Co-Executive Directors, US Water Alliance Sewerage District Milwaukee Water Commons An Equitable Water Future: Milwaukee 3 INTRODUCTION The name “Milwaukee” is a settler variation of the This Roadmap is the outcome of the Taskforce’s efforts. Anishinaabemowin word minowaki, which means “good It outlines how Milwaukee’s history has shaped our current land.” The city of Milwaukee sits at the confluence of the challenges, and it sets forth an agenda for pursuing Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers and progress, with recommendations for action that apply to along the shores of Lake Michigan. Water is foundational stakeholders across the water sector. This is a template to the city, and it is at the root of the lives of the many for member organizations, stakeholder organizations people who have lived here. connected to Milwaukee’s water sector, community organi- zations, and affected communities to advance change. As with many US cities, Milwaukee’s history is also rooted By acting together, Milwaukee’s water stakeholders can in environmental and economic injustice. Milwaukee positively reshape the opportunity landscape for our most is one of the most segregated cities in the country, a vulnerable communities and establish a more equitable condition that is reflected in its socioeconomic disparities. foundation for future generations. Milwaukee’s historically marginalized communities disproportionately bear the weight of environmental The Roadmap is organized as follows: challenges associated with water quality, climate change, • Background describes Milwaukee’s demographics and flooding, aging infrastructure, and combined sewer socioeconomic context; overflows. This reality calls for actions that advance equity • Water Workforce Challenges reviews factors related and environmental justice. to Milwaukee’s water workforce that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities; and Over the past two years, the Milwaukee Water Equity • Recommendations for Action highlights priority actions Taskforce focused its efforts on equitable, living-wage that stakeholders in Milwaukee can take to build an employment as a priority for water equity. First, to better inclusive, diverse, and prepared water workforce, now understand the barriers to equitable employment in and for decades to come. Milwaukee’s water sector, Milwaukee Water Commons contracted with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development to undertake a compre- hensive water sector Needs Assessment as part of the team process. National and local water sector research, interviews with selected stakeholders, and multiple community focus group discussions on barriers to living- wage employment in Milwaukee’s water sector augmented this assessment. The team also participated in monthly meetings, quarterly learning exchanges with the US Water Alliance’s seven Taskforce cities, and constant team communication and collaboration. 4 US Water Alliance BACKGROUND This section of the report explores demographics and Economic Shifts disparities that shape the lives of vulnerable communities Over the past five decades, Milwaukee’s deindustrialization in Milwaukee. These communities are concentrated on has created challenges for the region’s economic base the city’s north and south sides, in neighborhoods including and workforce, particularly in historically marginalized Lindsey Heights, Amani, Silver City, Harambee, Metcalfe communities. Due to globalization and economic restruc- Park, Muskego Way, Sherman Park East, Franklin Heights, turing in the US, Milwaukee lost 54,700 manufacturing Clarke Square, North Division, Silver Spring, Halyard Park, jobs—a decline of almost 50 percent—between 1967 and and others affected by segregation, economic disinvest- 1987.3 These manufacturing positions paid well and ment, and redlining.1 served as anchors for middle-class families, but jobs with higher education requirements and lower-paid jobs While the individual challenges these communities face in the service industry soon replaced them. Between may seem