Basement Connection

MMSD Household Hazardous Waste Collection

HOME |

PRIVATE PROPERTY PROGRAM |

WHAT'S A LATERAL |

WHAT'S A FOUNDATION DRAIN |

PREPARING FOR A FLOOD |

Your basement. The foundation of your home. The storer of your things. Your extra square footage of living space. And, ultimately, the big giant hole underground that you want most desperately to stay dry when it rains. Funny thing is, the dryness of your basement could depend on your neighbors. We’re all connected by sewer pipes. If you own a home, you own a sewer pipe. And, most of us don’t maintain that pipe until there’s a problem. So, you have a lot more in common with your neighbors than you thought you did after that last block party.

Reducing The Risk of Basement Backups - YT.mov

Reducing the risk of basement backups takes community-wide solutions, time and money. Although improvements will not guarantee an end to basement backups, homeowners can be confident that doing nothing will increase the risk over time.

Reducing Flood Risks at Home.mov

There are some simple things you can do at home to reduce the risk of water damage and flooding in your basement.

Proper grading around your home.mov

One of the simplest things you can do to reduce the risk of water damage in your home is to make sure the soil next to your home is pitched, or sloped, away from the basement..

Downspouts.mov

Always make sure your downspouts run at least six to ten feet away from your home. You can also run then underground. Learn more.

Sealing cracks in concrete by your house.mov

Sealing cracks in concrete directly next to your home is easy and can help reduce the risk of water damage in your basement.

Storing things in your basement.mov

Water damage in your basement can occur when you least expect it. Here are some tips to avoid losing everything if you get water in your home unexpectedly.

Building Wisconsin - Rebuilding our Sewer System - Seg 1

Segment 1 of Building Wisconsin's episode featuring Clear View Plumbing and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District. In this segment, Bill Graffin from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) overviews how the sewer system is connected and also...

Building Wisconsin - Rebuilding our Sewer System - Seg 2

Segment 2 of Building Wisconsin's episode featuring Clear View Plumbing and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District. In this segment, Bill Graffin from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) explains why having a drain tile disconnect is so important...

Building Wisconsin - Rebuilding our Sewer System - Seg 3

Segment 3 of Building Wisconsin's episode featuring Clear View Plumbing and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District. In this segment, Denis Nowak, form Clear View Plumbing / Plumbers 75 finishes the process...

Laterals Schmaterals

Lateral is a fancy word for a pipe. But it’s a very important pipe that takes that water you use inside your home out to the municipal sewer line. If you own a home, you own a sewer. Which means that you’re responsible for maintaining and repairing it.

Hidden underneath your basement

Did you know that there are pipes underneath your basement walls? Yep, they’re called foundation drains. Without them, you’d likely have ground water covering your basement floor. If your home was built after 1954, you have a sump pump to move water up and out. If your home is older than that, you most likely have a foundation drain connected directly to your lateral.

H2O Capture

Our Greenseams® program captures a significant amount of stormwater every time it rains. Besides Greenseams, 10 other green infrastructure strategies help protect basements, sewers, and area waterways every time it rains.