Milwaukee Council won’t open water talks with Waukesha

Milwaukee’s Common Council has voted not to start talks with the city of Waukesha, over sending Lake Michigan water twenty miles to the west.

Without debate, the Milwaukee council voted 14-to-nothing against Great Lakes water diversion contract talks with Waukesha that would allow Lake Michigan water to go to other towns in Waukesha County. Milwaukee alderman Bob Bauman says going beyond the city of Waukesha remains a concern

The Waukesha water utility responds by saying the DNR and regional planners have made it clear that the drinking water service area in Waukesha County has to be the same as the service area for wastewater discharge. Waukesha says it’s disappointed that Milwaukee has prematurely killed a chance to negotiate, and that productive talks with Racine and Oak Creek for Lake Michigan water will continue.