Jones Island Water Reclamation Plant Visit - Sat @ 11 am

Visit and tour this 1926 facility, designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1974. 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. And kids won’t want to miss the “workhorses of wastewater,” collecting a set of “bug” cards, and getting up close and personal with the big trucks! Visitors will receive a free 5lb. bag of Milorganite® upon their exit, while supplies last. Learn more about the site here.

Ticket Information

Please note that you are signing up for a 90 minute window of time in which to visit the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility. Each reservation guarantees you access to the facility only. Reservations are NOT for a particular tour as both tour types are offered first come first served approximately every 15-20 minutes. You may arrive at any time within your 90 minute reservation, but we ask that you please plan to depart when your reservation time expires.

Please be advised the District or Veolia may take photos or video recordings of this public event and reproduce those images and recordings for educational and non-commercial purposes.

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.

Also available:

• Educational exhibits
• Peregrine Falcon Spotting

For the Kids:

• Explore the Big Trucks
• Learn about the Workhorses of Wastewater
• Collect all 9 “good bug” cards
• Visit the giant coloring wall

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. Photography and filming permitted. The campus is not handicapped accessible and the hard hat tour is not appropriate for individuals with sensitivity to noise.

Thanks to Veolia for supporting Doors Open as a sponsor!

Host or Publisher Historic Milwaukee