WaterMarks is dedicated to the long-term engagement of diverse communities around various water related issues — to create an urban-scaled atlas of water for the city of Milwaukee.
WaterMarks: An Atlas of Water for the City of Milwaukee is an initiative to develop a city-wide network of participatory engagement, to help us all to better understand the significance of water in our everyday lives.
WaterMarks is a multi-layered framework which consists of a series of illuminated WaterMarkers in neighborhoods across the city — to create a conceptual Atlas of Water that can be implemented over time. The goal is to engage residents throughout Milwaukee’s many neighborhoods and invite interested individuals to support the seven principles of our Water Centric City — through the arts.
Each WaterMarker will feature a single character informed by local input and related to their locations. They will be blue to represent our connection to water and will be programmed to pulse when heavy rain is expected, as a visual signal about the importance of individual actions that can reduce flooding and sewer overflows. Surrounding each WaterMarks location, a series of projects by local artists, walks featuring artists and scientists, and stories shared by local voices will unite our communities around water-related topics, concerns, or memories to build stronger relationships with the water systems that supports our lives.
The central beacon for this city-wide project will be a WaterMaker at the Jones Island Water Treatment Plant. This structure, which is visible through the city, will indicate to residents when there is the increased concern of a sewage overflow into the lake — communicating the same message about overflows out to the immediate neighborhood.
Each WaterMarker will act as a portal to share community perspectives and elevate our collective understanding with regards to the value of water — to reinforce, strengthen, broaden, and deepen Milwaukee's community connection to our water as part of our everyday lives. Connecting all these WaterMarkers with each other and the many communities of the city is an ongoing process of community engagement to communicate that water is a shared resource that connects us all.
WaterMarks is made possible through the generous support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and in partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW), City of Milwaukee Department of City Development (DCD), the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC), and Reflo -- with a multitude of additional funding and coordinating partners seen below.
WATERMARKS TEAM
ASTOR STREET FOUNDATION
CENTURY CITY TRIANGLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION