As the city is expected to eventually negotiate with Milwaukee, Oak Creek and Racine to purchase and pipe Lake Michigan water, the Waukesha Water Utility is in the process of developing a document that compares the history of water rates and rate increases in the communities.

The work is being done in a response to a request from Mayor Jeff Scrima to provide a history of the data. The water utility presented some of the information Thursday night but is waiting on additional figures from Racine and the Public Service Commission before finalizing the report.

The commission briefly discussed the PSC’s approval of Milwaukee’s water rates increase. While the water rate increase was approved but at a rate lower than what Milwaukeee was seeking, the PSC made a statement to cities throughout the state that money should not be taken from water utilities to balance the general budget, Waukesha Water Utility Dan Duchniak said.

“Milwaukee got slapped by the PSC for taking money from the water utility to help balance their budget,” Scrima said.

Commissioner Joseph Piatt asked Duchniak to include information about rate increases to surrounding communities that deal with Milwaukee. Piatt said the people he has talked with have expressed their distrust with the PSC.

Piatt said he would like to see an education of how the rate increases are determined by the PSC and a comparison of that data to address the public perception of the PSC.

“There is this perception that PSC is,” Piatt said before stopping.

“Corrupt,” Alderman Rick Tortomasi filled in for Piatt.