Waukesha Revises Great Lakes Water Diversion Request

Waukesha has resubmitted its application to divert Great Lakes water from Oak Creek after sending in the first application in 2010.

The application contains updated information about forecasted water demands, the water supplier, water conservation and phosphorus limits, according to a news release from the Waukesha Water Utility.

Public meetings about the revised application are planned for November, according to the news release.

Waukesha’s water diversion request was first approved to move forward by the Waukesha Common Council in spring 2010 but has experienced delays since then.

The city needs approval from all Great Lakes states because it is just outside the Subcontinental Divide where water flows naturally to Lake Michigan before it can receive Great Lakes water. In addition to being under a June 2018 deadline to remove radium from the city’s water supplies, Waukesha has declining water quality and quantity in its eight deep wells and three shallow wells.

In addition to radium, the deep wells have problems with total dissolved solids and temperature. At times, water pulled from the wells have reached as high as 98 degrees, according to a 2012 Waukesha Water Utility presentation. The shallow wells have issues with iron and manganese. Additionally, arsenic has been found on a property in the Town of Waukesha where the city could build shallow wells, which would require more treatment.

• More information about the city's application for Lake Michigan water in the news release.
• The latest information on the diversion application on the city's website.