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Great Lakes Mayors Challenge Waukesha Water Diversion

Photo:sevenMaps7/Shutterstock.com

By Elizabeth Miller 

Mayors of 123 American and Canadian cities are  challenging a Wisconsin city’s plan to divert water from Lake Michigan. This is in direct opposition to the Great Lakes governors who approved the precedent-setting request in June. 

A provision in the Great Lakes Compact allows counties bordering the Great Lakes Basin to request water in extraordinary circumstances.  Waukesha  applied for Lake Michigan water six years ago because city wells are laced with radium.

But a group of mayors in the U.S. and Canada want a hearing to challenge that plan. Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson is one of them.

“While we are sympathetic to a community that may have problems with the delivery of drinking water, that has to be balanced against other communities,” said Hicks-Hudson.

Hicks-Hudson says Waukesha's plan needs more review because water diversion is such an important issue. Waukesha would be the first community outside of the Great Lakes basin to receive its water since a 2008 agreement meant to protect the five lakes.  

But Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly says his city will not significantly impact the Great Lakes.

“Waukesha will borrow less than one, one millionth of 1 percent of Great Lakes water,” said Reilly.

The group of mayors also asked President Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and the International Joint Commission, the organization that resolves water-related conflicts, to stop the diversion.