“While we remain very concerned about the issues of water quality and sustainability in Waukesha, its diversion application has posed many unanswered questions about water conservation and efficiency, water supply alternatives and environmental impact,” said Ezra Meyer, water resources specialist with Clean Wisconsin, the state’s largest environmental advocacy organization, a longtime Great Lakes advocate and member of the Compact Implementation Coalition.
“This diversion process demands a comparison of all available alternatives, but Waukesha’s focus on a diversion may mean the right local solution has been overlooked. We worry that Waukesha’s plans could set an unfavorable precedent just five years after eight states and two Canadian provinces collaborated to protect natural treasures like Lake Michigan through the Great Lakes Compact. Clean Wisconsin is proud to take part in an independent review of this application. We believe Waukesha’s residents deserve a sustainable, radium-free source of drinking water, and we encourage all interested citizens and stakeholders to engage in opportunities provided by the state Department of Natural Resources to provide public input. The Great Lakes are an incredible asset and provide unparalleled economic, quality of life and environmental benefits to the state and nation. As such, we all must take a stake in our Great Lakes.”
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) returned Waukesha’s application to divert water out of Lake Michigan under the Great Lakes Compact Wednesday, citing deficiencies in the application’s review of alternatives to Great Lakes water.
