The work of Sweet Water is guided by its Steering Council and informed by the work of four  key committees or teams: the Policy Committee, the Science Committee, Communications Committee, and the Watershed Action Teams. 

The members of the Steering Council represent diverse stakeholders and include municipal leaders, businesses, agencies, utilities, and non-governmental organizations.  New steering council members are nominated and approved by current council members and serve a three-year term.

The Steering Council meets on a bi-monthly basis and held at the Technology Innovation Center located at 10437 W. Innovation Drive in Wauwatosa.   map

2011 Steering Council Members

Steering Council News and Updates

From left to right: Peter McAvoy, Sweet Water Steering Council; Kevin Shafer, Sweet Water Steering Council; Molly Flanagan, Joyce Foundation; Jeff Martinka, Sweet Water

The Policy Committee is an open committee and assists Sweet Water by researching public policy and legal issues pertaining to water quality initiatives. Its members represent diverse stakeholders with special interests in water resource regulations and policy.

The Policy Committee serves the organization by:

• ensuring that a wide range of interests is considered in all public policy and legal discussions
• focusing on issues that cut across existing lines of authority to achieve watershed objectives
• identifying and making recommendations on public policy and legal issues.

To accomplish these tasks, the Policy Committee forms ad hoc working groups to engage in focused work and research. Two ad hoc work groups were formed to research water quality trading and watershed-based permitting.  The Policy Committee's work on water quality trading was incorporated into the DNR's study on water quality trading and valued for the in-depth research reflected in the study.

The white paper on water quality trading (link) was prepared for Sweet Water by Melissa Scanlan, formerly of Midwest Environmental Advocates, and Peter McAvoy, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. Other documents generated by the Policy Committee will be posted on the website.

Follow this link for information on innovative, regulatory initiatives taking place in the region including development of a watershed-based stormwater permit, TMDLs, and water quality trading and for details regarding the Policy Committee meetings.

Policy Advisory Committee Members

Photo courtesy Midwest Environmental Advocates

The Science Committee is an open committee with membership driven by interest and expertise. The input of the Science Committee ensures that the work Sweet Water undertakes is science-based and reflects current science related to both challenges and solutions. 

The Science Committee serves the organization by:

• Ensuring that a wide range of interests are considered in all scientific discussions

• Focusing on issues of a scientific and technical nature to achieve watershed objectives

• Identifying and make recommendations on scientific and technical issues

• Reporting developing issues and their impact such as pharmaceutical waste in the waters

• Identifying areas where further study is necessary.

A current focus of the Science Committee is focused on the issue of the need for alternatives to fecal coliform as a human health indicator as well as assessing water quality monitoring and identifying data gaps.

There is dynamic discourse between the work of the Science and Policy Committees.  These committees provide critical input and strategies as priority projects are identified for implementation rising out of the Watershed Restoration Plans. 

Water Quality Trading Workgroup Members

Watershed Permitting Workgroup Members

Photo courtesy Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Sweet Water's Communications Committee is comprised of individuals with expertise in public relations and communications as well as other core partners.  The Communications Committee supports and guides Sweet Water's many and diverse communication efforts. 

These efforts bring the work of Sweet Water to the general public and specific stakeholders through publications such as the quarterly RiversReport, press relations, traditional media, social media, presentations, and its annual conference, Clean Rivers, Clean Lake. 

The Committee has begun work on Sweet Water's outreach campaign to raise awareness of the role people play in the health of our rivers and lakes.  The campaign has as its foundation a survey of area residents water knowledge, attitudes and values.  The survey was conducted fall of 2010. 

The survey was primarily funded through  a Wisconsin Coastal Management Program Grant with additional support from the Joyce Foundation, Sweet Water, American Rivers, and Badger Meter.

1000 Friends of Wisconsin led the survey initiative and partnered with the Public Policy Forum who developed the survey and analyzed the data.  Advantage Research conducted the phone survey to almost 400 residents in the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Watersheds.

To read an analysis of the results of the public survey, follow the link to the Public Policy Forum's Summary Brief.

Sweet Water's publications and other press items are archived here on our website under the publications tab and press room tab.