Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

What Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District does

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a Wisconsin-chartered municipal corporation and regional public utility established in 1930 to protect public health and the upper Yahara watershed. The District operates the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant and a regional conveyance network of large sewer pipes, pumping stations, force mains, and interceptor sewers that collect and treat wastewater for 24 customer communities across Dane County, serving approximately 429,000 to 435,000 residents. Its core technical stack centers on conventional activated-sludge wastewater treatment augmented by a WDNR-accredited laboratory and a portfolio of in-house instrumentation innovations, most notably the patented BOD Auto EZ (an automated biochemical oxygen demand analyzer) and an Online Chlorine Residual Analyzer dating to the early 1970s. Supporting infrastructure includes resource recovery programs (Metrogro biosolids, biogas, and the planned Nine Springs Solar 8 MW array), inflow & infiltration reduction work via the DRIIPS program, and a pollution-prevention suite covering chloride, phosphorus, PFAS, mercury, and household waste.

The District monetizes through four primary streams: recurring wholesale wastewater service charges to its 24 owner communities, one-time connection and annexation fees from developers, per-transaction septage disposal fees charged to haulers, and recurring industrial pretreatment permits. Rates are set annually by the District's Commission, with grants and rebates (up to $15,000 per business entity for chloride reduction and $200,000 annually in innovation grants) deployed as demand-side levers rather than primary revenue. The customer base is exclusively institutional: 24 municipal governments (with the City of Madison as the largest), Dane County, federal partners (e.g., USDA Forest Products Laboratory), select healthcare and enterprise accounts (UnityPoint Health–Meriter, Epic Systems) participating in grant programs, plus developers, septage haulers, and industrial pretreatment permittees. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, anchored by public commission meetings, plant tours, a community-engagement apparatus (Learning Lavatories at Madison Public Market, an Artist/Educator in Residence program, youth apprenticeships), and broad organic social presence — there is no consumer acquisition motion because end users are reached indirectly through municipal partners.

Name

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

Legal name

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District

Website

https://madsewer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is a municipal wastewater utility that operates the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant and regional conveyance network, providing wholesale wastewater collection and treatment to 24 customer communities serving approximately 429,000 residents across Dane County, Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wastewater Treatment Services

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) (EUANADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Sewer Network Modeling, Capacity Planning & Optimization (EUANACAK), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Wastewater treatment services
• Municipal sewer utilities
• Regional water reclamation
• Biosolids resource recovery
• Industrial pretreatment permits

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Wastewater Service Charges: The District collects wastewater from 24 customer communities and charges service fees. Individual communities manage their local sewer systems which feed into the District's regional system.
2. Connection Charges: Fees charged to developers for new sanitary sewer connections, annexations, and plan review services.
3. Septage Disposal Fees: Fees charged to septage haulers for waste disposal at the treatment facility. Hauling hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
4. Industrial Pretreatment Permits: Fees for industrial pollution prevention programs and pretreatment permits for industrial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District operates the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant and a regional interceptor sewer network that collect and treat wastewater for 24 customer communities (approximately 429,000 people) across Dane County, Wisconsin. Complementary services include WDNR-accredited laboratory analysis, industrial pretreatment permitting, septage disposal, biosolids marketing (Metrogro), pollution prevention programs, and resource recovery initiatives such as the Nine Springs Solar project.

Product overview

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is a regional municipal clean water utility offering a unified suite of wastewater management services. The core offerings include wastewater collection through a regional pipe network serving 24 communities, and wastewater treatment at the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant serving approximately 429,000 people. Supporting services include Laboratory Services for water quality testing, the Metrogro Biosolids Program for resource recovery, the Nine Springs Solar Project for clean energy, Yahara WINS for watershed phosphorus reduction, and I&I reduction programs. The District also provides Plant Tours (both in-person and virtual), pollution prevention education programs, and community resources. All services work together under the District's mission to protect public health and the environment through integrated wastewater management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wastewater Collection
• Wastewater Treatment
• Laboratory Services
• Metrogro Biosolids Program
• Nine Springs Solar Project
• Yahara WINS Watershed Improvement Initiative
• Industrial Pretreatment Permits and Program
• Septage Disposal Service
• Developer Sanitary Sewer Connection and Annexation Services
• Chloride Reduction Rebate and Grant Programs
• Inflow & Infiltration (I&I) Reduction Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Prevented 54,541 lbs phosphorus from entering water bodies in 2023 through Yahara WINS
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and minor.

• Madison Public MarketnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026Creative partnership unveiling 14 custom-designed Learning Lavatories restrooms at Madison Public Market, turning routine stops into educational experiences about regional wastewater and water stewardship.
• Madison Gas and Electric (MGE)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025District plans to lease land to MGE for 8-megawatt Nine Springs Solar project array to advance clean energy in the region.
• MSA Professional Services, Inc.notableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2023Engineering firm completed design of Pumping Station 17 Force Main Relief Phase 2 and Pumping Station 17 Firm Capacity Improvements Project.
• Forest Products Laboratory (USDA)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Chloride reduction innovation grant recipient. FPL developed automated brine capture system to repurpose water softener brine for winter anti-icing, reducing rock salt use by 70%. Grant supported innovative engineering and automation from concept to reality.
• Sustain DanecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021District grant funding ($13,700 in 2021, $13,000+ in 2023-24) expanding Sustain Dane's Efficiency Navigator program to include water softener inspections for affordable multi-family housing. Program has served 90+ units in 20+ buildings with confirmed water softener inspections, achieving 2,000+ lbs salt savings annually.
• Yahara WINS PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaborative watershed improvement network including 60+ organizations working to reduce phosphorus loading to Yahara River watershed. Has exceeded annual reduction goals for 7+ consecutive years. Awarded 2018 U.S. Water Prize.
• Wisconsin Salt Wise (WI Salt Wise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency partnership focused on reducing salt use in winter road maintenance. District participates in training sessions and shares salt reduction best practices. Grant recipients share experiences at WI Salt Wise trainings.
• Minger Construction Co., Inc.minorOthersAwarded contractor for PS17 Force Main Relief Phase 2 project with bid of approximately $9.4 million.
• Elevate EnergynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Sustain Dane in developing Efficiency Navigator program for affordable housing energy and water efficiency.
• PATCH (Professionals Accepting Challenging Horizons)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer partnership providing nontraditional experiential learning opportunities on water stewardship for youth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Madison Water Utility: Municipal drinking water utility serving the City of Madison, Wisconsin. Adjacent, geographically overlapping peer in the same water/wastewater service ecosystem; comparable in scale, public-utility governance, and Dane County service area, though focused on potable water rather than wastewater.
• Dane County Land & Water Resources Department: County-level government department managing land and water resources in Dane County. Operates as a partner/peer in watershed management, stormwater, and erosion control — directly overlapping with MMSD's Yahara WINS and chloride/phosphorus reduction programs in the same service area.

Direct peers

• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District: Regional wastewater utility serving Cleveland and 61 member communities in Northeast Ohio. Similar wholesale service model, regional interceptor system, and watershed-focused environmental programs including green infrastructure and I&I reduction.
• Hampton Roads Sanitation District: Regional wastewater utility serving 20 cities and counties in southeastern Virginia. Comparable wholesale wastewater treatment model, regional interceptor network, biosolids management (Hampton Roads Regional Biosolids Management Program), and proactive environmental stewardship initiatives.
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago: Regional wholesale wastewater utility serving Chicago and 128 suburban communities. Comparable mission, governance structure (independent government entity), treatment plant scale, and resource recovery programs (biosolids, biogas, phosphorus recovery).
• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District: Regional wastewater utility serving the Milwaukee metropolitan area in Wisconsin. Operates similar wholesale service model, treatment plant operations, interceptor sewers, and combined sewer overflow challenges; comparable in mission, scale, and regulatory regime (WPDES).

Broad incumbents

• DC Water: Large regional water and wastewater utility serving the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions. Comparable as an investor-owned/municipal hybrid utility providing wholesale wastewater services, biosolids management, and resource recovery programs to multiple customer jurisdictions.
• Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County: Joint powers authority operating wastewater and solid waste management for Los Angeles County. Comparable as a large multi-jurisdictional wastewater treatment organization operating multiple plants, with biosolids reuse and energy recovery programs.

Others

• Veolia North America: Global environmental services company that operates and maintains municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants under contract. Comparable technology and operational expertise relevant to MMSD's treatment operations and resource recovery ambitions, though operating via outsourced service contracts.
• Suez Water Technologies & Solutions: Global water and wastewater services and technology provider serving municipal and industrial customers. Comparable as a supplier of treatment technology, biological/chemical process expertise, and resource recovery solutions relevant to wastewater utilities like MMSD.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/madmetrosewer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MadisonMetropolitanSewerageDistrict
• Facebookfacebook.com/MadMetroSewer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/madison-metropolitan-sewerage-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/madmetrosewer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District