NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, is a regional clean water utility that provides wholesale services to 15 municipalities and their 239,000 residential and business customers. NEW Water owns and operates two treatment facilities, 78 miles of interceptors, 600 pumps, 1,206 manholes, and cleaned about 15 billion gallons of water for the community last year. NEW Water works around the clock so that our community can do dishes, wash laundry, flush the toilet, and run their businesses whenever they want.
NEW Water owns and operates many miles of underground pipes, including a series of larger, deeper pipes called an interceptor system, located throughout our service area. In downtown Green Bay, portions of this system have been in operation since the 1930s, and are in need of improvements in order to continue to function. The cost of this project is expected to be about $29 million, which is funded through NEW Water wholesale rates to its 15 municipal customers. The improvements are needed to revitalize aging infrastructure to protect public health and the environment.
NEW Water televises every pipe in its interceptor system every five years to determine condition. We are also constantly evaluating capacity needs to serve the community now and into the future. As part of that evaluation, NEW Water has identified this infrastructure for renewal. The improvements for this project:
Long-term investment in sections of critical infrastructure
To extend service life of existing system for generations to come
Properly abandon segments of the interceptor
Reduce routine maintenance on the sewer system
Minimized construction impacts to surrounding neighborhoods and businesses
Maintain existing level of service through the sewer system
Majority of the project will be in the City of Green Bay, with a small portion of the project in the Village of Allouez, 
The cost of this project is expected to be about $29 million, which is funded through NEW Water wholesale rates to its 15 municipal customers, using financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.
No, property owners will not be charged or assessed for this project.
Construction of upgrades and improvements to the Downtown Interceptor Renewal Project (see enclosed map for location) were financed in part by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The CWSRF program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with joint funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Wisconsin. This project is needed to revitalize aging infrastructure which has been in nonstop service since the 1930s, to protect public health and the environment. The project will provide water quality benefits including ensuring safe and reliable wastewater conveyance for the protection of area waterways. CWSRF programs operate around the country to provide states and communities the resources necessary to maintain and improve the infrastructure that protects our valuable water resources nationwide.
What will the project entail?The project will rehabilitate approximately 13,000 feet of sanitary sewer and 25 manholes located in and around downtown Green Bay. The renewal will enhance reliability and reduce maintenance on the system. In addition, the project will properly abandon approximately 7,000 feet of old East River Interceptor, taken out of service in the 1970s.
The Downtown Interceptors Renewal Project has been designed to minimize impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods during construction. A variety of pipe renewal methods for this project will be “trenchless” in nature, minimizing the amount of disturbances at ground level. NEW Water will continue to communicate with impacted businesses and homeowners throughout the project as well as work to minimize impacts. Below is a list of anticipated impacts that this project will have on neighborhoods near the construction:
Road and sidewalk closures
Pedestrian and bike trail closures
Temporary detours to project roadways
Impacts to bus routes
Impacts to driveway access
Construction staging and activities in and around parks
Construction staging and activities on private properties
Safety first. As with any construction site, drivers are asked to slow down and proceed with caution, for the safety of the Teams working hard to ensure continued service to the community.
At this time, it is anticipated that construction will be completed late-2026. This project webpage will be updated as more information is available.
Click on the image to enlarge the map location.
August 22, 2025
Work continues on the Downtown Interceptors Renewal Project. Current activities include pipe staging, fusing, cutting, pulling, and clearing areas in preparation for future pipe installation.
On the East River Interceptor, pipe abandonment work, which involves digging and excavation, has been rescheduled.
Expect road closures and impacts to local traffic. To stay updated, sign-up for road closures notifications on the City of Green Bay Public Works website and follow the Public Works Facebook page.
Residents and businesses may also notice increased activity along Adams Street, between Stuart Street and Main Street, where crews are cleaning the interceptor sewer pipe in preparation for sliplining. This phase of work has been especially challenging due to an over 200-foot build-up of “unflushables,” particularly rags, wipes, trash, and other items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, inside the interceptor.
As a reminder: Don’t treat your toilet like a trash can; only flush the 3Ps: Pee, Poo, and (toilet) Paper. Learn more about how you can #LoveYourPipes
Above image caption: This image depicts “unflushables” in this interceptor.
Interceptor: Not an ordinary sanitary sewer pipe. Interceptors are the larger, deeper pipes that collect wastewater from smaller sewer pipes.
Wastewater: Water that is used inside your house or business that goes down a drain. Examples of wastewater include water used in the toilet, showers, sinks, dishwashers, and washings machines.
Cured-In-Place Piping (CIPP): CIPP is a commonly used “trenchless” (i.e., no digging) technology used to extend the service life of pipes. It includes a pipe-within-a pipe lining system to reduce groundwater infiltration and reinforce structural integrity.
For more information about CIPP and the installation process, please view this educational video created by NASSCO: Cured-in-Place Pipe Technology - NASSCO.
Sliplining: a trenchless underground pipe rehabilitation method that involves installing a pipe of a slightly smaller diameter into an existing pipe.
Spiral Wound Pipelining: Like CIPP or sliplining, spiral wound pipelining provides a structural lining solution for fully deteriorated pipelines with minimal site disruption.
For more information about Spiral Wound Pipelining and the installation process, please view this educational video created by NASSCO: Spiral Wound Technology - NASSCO.
