The City of Waukesha included the smaller municipalities in its 2010 Lake Michigan water diversion application - - without their consent.
Milwaukee Common Council Public Works Committee chair Bob Alderman Bob Bauman told me today why his committee meeting to discuss possible water sale negotiation issues could end up limited to the cities of Milwaukee and Waukesha:
Background, here.The City of Waukesha has submitted additional material which substantially complies with our Water Sale Policy Resolution. None of the other political subdivision have submitted information. Accordingly the committee will consider a substitute resolution authorizing the commencement of negotiations with the City of Waukesha regarding water service to the City of Waukesha only.
This could begin winnowing down Waukesha's demand for water, as the expanded service territory outside its city limits has been what I have called the application's weakest link:
The weakest link in the application - - and what will raise questions all the way from the Town of Waukesha to the City of Milwaukee, and with reviewers and regulators in all the eight Great Lakes states, is Waukesha's plan to send Lake Michigan water into parts of Pewaukee, Genesee and the Town of Waukesha.Expanding the current service territory land mass by 80%.That expansion - - mapped out and green-lighted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission for the Waukesha application administatively, without public review - - plays some role in Waukesha's request for up to 18.5 million gallons of Lake Michigan water daily.Yes, the figure is a maximum, worst-case, drought-or-fire situation to be sure - - but clearly Waukesha and its water utility, like revenue-producing utilities are wont to do, intends to grow its customer and water rate base outside the city limits and water service territory.Can annexations be far behind?
