Doors Open 2025: Milwaukee Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility

Name: Doors Open 2025: Milwaukee Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility
Start: 2025-09-27T08:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-09-27T16:00:00-05:00
Location: 700 E Jones St, Milwaukee, WI 53207-1037, United States

Schedule

Sat Sep 27 2025 at 08:30 am to 04:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

700 E Jones St, Milwaukee, WI 53207-1037, United States | Milwaukee, WI

Visit the link below to learn more about Doors Open and the Jones Island site; Registration is FREE and opens at 10AM on 9/10/25
https://historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open/buildings/jones-island-water-reclamation-plant/
Opened in 1925, this facility was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1974. World-renowned for pioneering the way in modern wastewater treatment technology, Jones Island was also one of the first facilities in the world to produce a fertilizer as the by-product of the water reclamation process: Milorganite. Capable of treating more than 300 million gallons a day, the facility is owned and governed by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and operated and maintained by Veolia Water Milwaukee.
Visitors will learn about the history of Jones Island, the Water Reclamation Process, MMSD programs, the making of Milorganite, and Veolia North America, a global environmental services company. And kids won't want to miss learning about the “workhorses of wastewater”! Visitors will receive a free 5lb bag of Milorganite while supplies last.
Tour information
Participants must adhere to the 90 minute window, but once on site are invited to partake in all of the activities that are available.
Visitors may participate in one or both of the tours:
1) Driving Bus tour of the campus- Participants will travel around the entire Jones Island facility to learn about the water reclamation process and how Milorganite® is made. Duration- 25 minutes
2) Walking Hard Hat Tour of the Milorganite® Facility- Participants will get a chance to walk through the Dewatering and Drying Facility where Milorganite® is made. Duration- 20 minutes. All participants must wear long pants and closed-toe shoes and be able to descend 75 steps on their own. Hard hats and safety glasses will be provided. Children must meet the safety attire guidelines, be able to walk and climb stairs without assistance, and fit into a conventional hard hat and safety glasses without either falling off of their head. No exceptions.
Photography and filming permitted.
The campus is not handicapped accessible and the hard hat tour is not appropriate for individuals with sensitivity to noise.
Tickets: FREE: Reservations required to enter the campus, but once on site, visitors may participate in one or both of the tours (first come first serve for tours), and visit all of the other available attractions.