8 states consider plea for Lake Michigan water

The decision means Waukesha will become the first city located entirely outside of the Great Lakes watershed that’s allowed to tap the lakes for drinking water, under the terms of a 2008 law called the Great Lakes Compact.

The city then treats the water and diverts it to the Mississippi River Basin. “Waukesha has a lot of work to do to meet all of these conditions, to comply with enforcement and submit to auditing”. Opponents say the city has other alternatives and approving its request would set a precedent that could lead to demands from other communities near the watershed boundary. The city plans to build $207 million worth of pipeline to return treated wastewater to Lake Michigan via the Root River and the city of Racine, Wis.

We strongly disagree with today’s vote by the Great Lakes Compact Council approving Waukesha’s request to divert over 8 million gallons of water from Lake Michigan per day.

The amendments offered by Minnesota and MI were not deal breakers and they were approved by the states. It will be at least a couple of years before Lake Michigan water begins flowing to Waukesha, he said.

Two last-minute watchdog amendments were added to the plan. Waukesha plans to buy its water from Oak Creek and return almost 100 percent it, after treatment, to the lake via the Root River.

The initial application did not meet the Compact Council’s requirements for a water diversion, but during the process the council made modifications and restrictions to the application that made it eligible for diversion approval this week.

The compact’s creation was sparked by a 1998 proposal by a Sault Ste. The city also must reduce the area to get the Lake Michigan water.

His defence included this short video explanation of the vote.

Governor Walker joined Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly and people in the community to celebrate Waukesha’s win to make Lake Michigan its primary water source.

Leamington, Ontario mayor denounced the USA decision to allow a town outside the Great Lakes basin to draw its water from Lake Michigan.

“I think a number of organizations are going to need to review the compact council’s decision and look really carefully at what the compact council did”, Flanagan said.

Waukesha says it would return as much water as it uses.

In a 2013 report, the Alliance identified eight other cities near the watershed as potential suitors for Great Lakes water if Waukesha were approved, although none have announced such plans.

But they called for greater opportunities for the public to participate in the process across the region. Waukesha is just 17 miles from Lake Michigan, and Wisconsin and Michigan share the majority of Lake Michigan’s coastline.