Wisconsin has more than 11,200 public water systems, which are encountering water quality issues and must contend with aging water treatment and distribution systems. Municipal wastewater utilities are challenged by aging infrastructure, growth and new environmental controls on wastewater discharge. Increased funding, regulatory resources and innovative solutions are needed. Join the ASCE-WI—LWVWI webinar to learn more about raising the grade for Drinking Water (C) & Wastewater (D+) on January 9, 2025. 

This is one webinar in a nine-part series looking at the state of all areas of infrastructure in Wisconsin.  Learn about the whole series: Back to the 2024 Report Card for Wisconsin's Infrastructure series page

Speaker Information 

Drinking Water Chapter Author

Justin Bilskemper, PE
Senior Associate

Justin R. Bilskemper is the lead author of the drinking water chapter for the ASCE 2020 and 2024 Wisconsin Report card and is a registered professional engineer at the Madison, Wisconsin office of Strand Associates, Inc. ® He has been employed at Strand for more than 18 years and has worked primarily on water-supply related projects, such as water system studies and master plans, well, well facility, and booster station design, hydraulic computer modeling, lead removal projects, and assisting with funding and regulatory compliance.

Justin has been active in ASCE since being a student at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2006. Justin has served in various positions on both the Wisconsin Southwest Branch and Wisconsin Section levels, including Section President from 2017 to 2018. Justin and his wife (Megan), son (Warren), and daughter (Hazel) currently reside in Verona.

Wastewater Chapter Author

Jen Hurlebaus, PE, ENV SP
Capital Planning Engineer

Jennifer Hurlebaus is the capital planning engineer for the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District where she is responsible for the overall planning of the collection system, focusing on longer-term programs and initiatives.  Jennifer is a registered professional engineer and holds a B.S. in Geological Engineering and a B.S. in Geology/Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.   With 16 years in consulting and 8 years public sector, Jennifer has experience in collection system evaluations, hydrologic/hydraulic modeling, design, and construction of sanitary sewer and pumping stations.  Currently, Jennifer is leading the inflow and infiltration reduction program at the District. Jennifer was the construction project manager for the Pumping Station 15 Rehabilitation, which earned the Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure Envision-Gold and EPA PISCES awards.  She was the lead author of the wastewater chapter for the ASCE 2024 and 2020 Wisconsin Report Cards. 

Additional Speakers

Janet Pritchard
Director, Environmental Policy Innovation Center

Janet supports EPIC’s work on the state policy frameworks governing state revolving funds for water infrastructure. As norms and tools for defining and addressing environmental justice concerns are evolved and prioritized, Janet works to fill a critical link by exploring how these norms and tools can be incorporated into the state policy frameworks that determine which communities and water infrastructure projects receive state and federal funding.

Janet’s career has focused on the intersection of equity concerns and regulatory policy. She initiated and led the Climate & Forest Program for ClientEarth, Europe’s premier public interest environmental law organization. This program advocates EU laws to regulate global commodities driving global deforestation, supports civil society organizations in Central and West Africa to secure land and forest rights, and ensures European and Chinese regulation of forest-risk commodities are aligned with the rights and interests of forest-dependent communities. Upon returning to her native state of Wisconsin, Janet shifted to freshwater policies of critical concern in the Great Lakes region, including green infrastructure, water affordability, and lead in drinking water. Janet was appointed to the Milwaukee City-County Task Force on Climate & Economic Equity and Chairs its Finance Work Group. She is also active in Milwaukee’s Coalition on Lead Emergency (COLE). Janet graduated with high honors from the New York University School of Law, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Review of Law and Social Change.

Deanna Branch
Environmental Justice Advocate and Author

Deanna Branch is a Mom, Environmental Justice Advocate and Author of Aidan: The Lead-Free Superhero book.

Kevin Shafer
Executive Director, Madison Metropolitan Sewer Director

Kevin Shafer serves as Executive Director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD). MMSD is a regional government agency that provides water reclamation and flood management services for more than 1.1 million customers in 29 communities in the Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin Area. The District serves 423 square miles that cover all, or segments of, six watersheds. Established by state law, the District is governed by 11 commissioners with taxing authority. Since assuming this role, Kevin has transformed the MMSD into one of the leading wastewater utilities in the country through the integration of green infrastructure with traditional infrastructure. Kevin’s 2035 Vision has propelled MMSD forward with climate change adaptation through an aggressive program to convert to renewable fuels, install green infrastructure, and preserve floodplains. Kevin’s leadership has brought MMSD recognition as the recipient of almost every major award in the industry, including the 2012 U.S. Water Prize. He currently serves on the board of The Water Council and is a member of the EPA’s Animal Agriculture and Water Quality Subcommittee of the Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee. He served as past president of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, past co-chair of the Water Research Foundation and US Water Alliance, past Board member of the Great Lakes Protection Fund, Mequon Nature Preserve, River Revitalization Foundation, and Discovery World, and a past member of the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee. Kevin holds a master’s degree in civil engineering, water resources, from the University of Texas, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois.