MMSD Seeks To Gain Deeper Understanding Of Processes By Leveraging Microbe Detectives' DNA Services

Microbe Detectives announced recently that it has officially contracted with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) to provide state-of-the-art DNA analysis services to detect nearly all microorganisms present within mixed liquor samples from the South Shore Wastewater Reclamation Facility and provide MMSD with a comprehensive monthly report of the findings. Microbe Detectives will also provide a comprehensive analysis report after completing twelve-months of weekly sampling and analysis.

“These powerful analytics will help MMSD better understand its conventional activated sludge process at SSWRF and give insight on nitrification, phosphorus removal, biological nutrient removal potential (including presence of Phosphorus-Accumulating Organisms and Glycogen-Accumulating Organisms), foaming, filaments, bulking, poor settling, and positive coliform identification in its process,” said Matt Magruder, Environmental Research Manager at MMSD.

“Developing a business relationship with MMSD is an important milestone in the evolution of Microbe Detectives,” said John Tillotson CEO of Microbe Detectives. “It speaks to our commercial success in optimizing renewable resource recovery systems for municipal and industrial wastewater facilities. We are honored to have this opportunity in our home town of Milwaukee where Microbe Detectives was born through the Water Council’s BREW Accelerator in 2014.”

The program is scheduled to commence immediately with plans to expand into anaerobic digestion and other MMSD systems.

About MMSD and Microbe Detectives
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a regional government agency that provides water reclamation and flood management services for about 1.1 million people in 28 communities in the Greater Milwaukee Area. They serve 411 square miles that cover all, or segments of, six watersheds. Established by state law, the District is governed by 11commissioners with taxing authority. Protecting public health and the drinking water supply for millions of people takes the expertise of hundreds of specially skilled and dedicated employees. MMSD is highly regarded nationally as a leader in wastewater treatment, flood management, green infrastructure and much more. A recipient of the U.S. Water Prize and many other awards, the District is most proud of its record of 98.5%, since 1994, for capturing and cleaning wastewater from 28 communities in a 411 square mile area. Many metropolitan areas struggle to capture and clean the national goal of 85% of all the rain and wastewater that enters their sewer systems. For more information, visit https://www.mmsd.com

Microbe Detectives is an innovator in applying modern DNA science and technology to transform water quality measurement and monitoring of wastewater, anaerobic digesters, process water, and other biological systems. Wastewater facilities utilize the company’s DNA sequencing services to optimize treatment systems, recover renewable resources, and reduce operating costs by 20 to 60%. Product innovators uniquely quantify and validate the performance of their products when applied to water microbiome environments. Microbe Detectives graduated from the Water Council BREW accelerator in 2014 and is a winner of the Wisconsin Innovation Awards. For more information, visit https://MicrobeDetectives.com/.