Earlier this week, the commission that oversees the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District voted unanimously for a third-part audit.
Both the district and Veolia — the company that manages MMSD’s two wastewater treatment plants — are going to be investigated.
Whistleblowers have raised concerns about Veolia’s treatment of employees and procedures at the plants. MMSD’s credibility is being questioned.
Well before calls for an audit began, MMSD had been deliberating whether Veolia or another applicant, Jacobs, would be awarded the next multimillion-dollar 10-year contract to run the wastewater treatment plants, from 2028 to 2038.
An ad hoc committee has been tasked with reviewing applications and making a recommendation to the MMSD commission. The committee invited the public to weigh in at a June 11 meeting.
Ruth Weill with Riverworks Development Corporation wasn’t there to support one applicant over the other, saying she didn’t know enough about science. Instead, she spoke in support of MMSD for its work on projects like the Beerline Trail.
“MMSD is an awesome community partner and I have faith in their ability to make the right decision, and I just wanted to come here and say that," Weill said.
Others echoed that conviction, from retired and current MMSD employees to the retired head of The Water Council.
Sixty-two members of Common Ground — the group that gave voice to whistleblowers — were there. Executive director Jennifer O’Hear announced more whistleblowers have stepped forward with allegations about Veolia and MMSD.
“Nine of the whistleblowers assert that there is a culture of falsifying records, numbers that were fudged, maintenance reports that were backdated and numbers on water quality reports that were falsified,” O’Hear said.
She called on the committee to pause the contract process.
“Do not make a recommendation about choosing Jacobs or Veolia until you have had time to review the audit findings. Anything else would be irresponsible,” O’Hear said.
Paul Keppler is a Veolia VP and general manager in Milwaukee. He says he cares very deeply about the company’s employees.
“Coming at this from an overall allegations of mismanagement and not caring about the lake, that is something that I take personal. I care very deeply,” Keppler said. “So many of these allegations are not just upsetting or aggravating to me. If and when an audit does occur, I would like people to speak to the other employees in the plant too, because they are the most dedicated and professional group of union and managerial staff I’ve had the opportunity to work with, and I will vouch for that any day."
The ad hoc committee was to meet in closed session on the morning of June 12.
If things go as originally planned, the panel will announce its recommendation for the company to run Milwaukee's wastewater treatment plants on Aug. 17.
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