Walker lauds opening of Milwaukee water center

Walker: Water-research center in Milwaukee could revolutionize world's access to clean water

MILWAUKEE — Gov. Scott Walker says a new water-research center in Milwaukee could eventually help the world gain access to fresh drinking water.

Walker was on hand Thursday for the opening of the Global Water Center. The center has 25 tenants, with many involved in researching or providing clean-water resources.

One company is Alga Bionics, which develops techniques to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. Another is Microbe Detectives, which uses DNA technology to identify and quantify bacterial populations in water.

Several offices are occupied by University of Wisconsin programs. UW-Milwaukee’s school of freshwater science and UW-Whitewater’s institute for water business will both have research facilities in the building.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says the work being done in the water center will cement Milwaukee as the freshwater capital of the world.