Tuesday, November 20, 2012
While a water sales agreement between Oak Creek and Waukesha is in limbo following a controversial Public Service Commission ruling, a key issue has been resolved.
Waukesha will move forward with a water deal with Oak Creek after language was changed in the letter of intent that satisfies some of Oak Creek’s concerns about compensation. An Oct. 3 ruling by the Public Service Commission (PSC), the regulating body for utilities in Wisconsin, delayed the water deal between the two cities. The ruling came one day after Oak Creek and Waukesha both agreed to proceed with a water deal, followed an appeal by Oak Creek in which the city asked the commission to reconsider parts of a decision regarding a rate increase originally requested in May 2011. Oak Creek is selling water to Franklin, but the PSC approved a greater rate increase for Oak Creek residents than it allowed for an increased charged to Franklin …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett wants Waukesha to revise its future water service area after water deal with Oak Creek stumbles.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is calling on City of Waukesha leaders to revise its future water service area so Milwaukee can enter into a water deal with the city following Oak Creek's uncertainty in moving forward. “The Milwaukee Water Works could provide your residents with a healthy and sustainable supply of drinking water at a rate that our competitors cannot even come close to matching,” Barrett said in a letter Wednesday to Mayor Jeff Scrima and Alderman Paul Ybarra. “Our current comparable wholesale rate, for the City of West Allis, is $1.16 per thousand gallons. "In comparison, the wholesale rate contemplated in the Letter of Intent is $1.90 per thousand gallons, or 64.5 percent higher. My staff estimates that our lower cost would …
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility says it can't continue talks with Waukesha about providing Lake Michigan water unless cost-sharing between Oak Creek and Franklin is worked out.
The Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility says it's "willing to continue talks with Waukesha" about providing Lake Michigan water, but only if it can achieve fair cost sharing for its existing customers first. The utility released a statement Tuesday morning regarding the Public Service Commission's decision that shifted costs-of-service from Franklin to Oak Creek. If the decision stands, it will result in an average quarterly increase for Oak Creek of $17.06, compared to an $8.14 increase for Franklin, according to Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility figures. Oak Creek is fighting the PSC's ruling, General Manager Steve Yttri said, but doesn't know when its appeal will be heard. The PSC decision came one day after the Oak Creek and Waukesha …
Thursday, October 4, 2012
At issue is the amount of money Oak Creek recoups from wholesale customers. Current rate distribution is inequitable, according to Oak Creek Water Utility manager.
A ruling Wednesday by the Public Service Commission (PSC), the regulating body for utilities in Wisconsin, has delayed and may ultimately sink a water deal between Oak Creek and Waukesha. The ruling on Wednesday, a day after Oak Creek and Waukesha both agreed to proceed with a water deal, followed an appeal by Oak Creek in which they asked the commission to reconsider parts of a decision regarding a rate increase originally requested in May 2011. An overall rate increase for Oak Creek was approved this July; however, Oak Creek appealed the ruling, requesting that the commission reconsider its decision to not allocate public fire protection costs to Franklin. Wednesday, the commission affirmed the July decision with the exception of two …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Waukesha residents could see their average monthly water bills increase from $26 to $58.26 under the proposal to buy water from Oak Creek.
A pipeline to transport Lake Michigan water to and from Oak Creek will cost Waukesha $183 million to build, according to a water sales letter of intent approved Tuesday night by both the Oak Creek and Waukesha Common Council. The letter effectively fills a missing piece of the city’s application to divert Great Lakes water past the Subcontinental Divide. The letter of intent outlines the terms for a future 40-year contract followed by four additional 10-year automatic renewals for a total of 80 years, according to a news release from the Waukesha Water Utility. However, even if the contract expires after 80 years, Oak Creek would not be able to discontinue water service to Waukesha without Waukesha’s approval. The final contract between …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett tells Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Waukesha should still negotiate under Milwaukee's terms – terms that would exclude parts of Waukesha's future water service area.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will review Waukesha’s application to divert Lake Michigan water based on its water service area – not municipal jurisdictions – and it will require Waukesha’s water provider to supply water for the entire water service area. DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp clarified Thursday in a letter to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett the DNR’s position as Milwaukee has refused to negotiate with Waukesha’s entire future water service area. Instead, Milwaukee is only agreeing to negotiate a water purchase for the Waukesha’s current water service area. “Given this clear statutory link between the diversion application and the water supply service area, the department will insist that the entity with which the city …
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Milwaukee remains out of negotiations for a water sales agreement with Waukesha while Lake Michigan water sales agreements are being finalized with Oak Creek and Racine.
A Milwaukee alderman who was trying to introduce a resolution as a compromise to allow Milwaukee to begin a water sales negotiation with Waukesha fell short Tuesday. Alderman Jim Bohl had introduced a resolution that would negate the council’s previous action that allows for Milwaukee to negotiate for Waukesha’s current water service area but excludes portions that are in the future water supply service area. However, the modified resolution, which would begin negotiations with two separate agreements, failed with one yes vote, 13 no votes and one excused vote, according to the Milwaukee Common Council’s Twitter account. Bohl was trying to begin negotiations with two separate agreements, one for Waukesha’s current water service area and …
Friday, July 6, 2012
Milwaukee Common Council halts negotiations with Waukesha based on city's future service area; Waukesha expects water deal with Oak Creek or Racine in mid-August.
The Milwaukee Common Council has removed itself from negotiations as a potential water supplier of Lake Michigan water to Waukesha, city leaders say. Milwaukee is refusing to negotiate based on the city’s future water service area – set by officials with the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission – because it includes properties in the Town of Waukesha, Town of Genesee, Town of Delafield and the City of Pewaukee. The Milwaukee Common Council decided Friday morning it will only negotiate with Waukesha for its current water service area. “We are disappointed that Milwaukee prematurely killed this opportunity to negotiate a historic regional cooperation agreement with Waukesha,” said Interim City Administrator Steve Crandell in a …
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Waukesha Water Utility presentation is designed to answer questions residents have about Waukesha’s future water supply.
Have you heard about the problems the Waukesha Water Utility faces in developing a new water supply? Have you ever wished someone would ask a certain question about the Great Lakes water application and you wanted a clear answer? The Waukesha Water Utility and area aldermen are teaming together to hold neighborhood meetings about the city’s future water supply. The in-depth discussion includes a history of groundwater resources in Waukesha, where the city is at now and why the Waukesha Water Utility is seeking Lake Michigan water to address its long-term water needs. Dozens of residents in District 1 had the opportunity to sit through the presentation on Wednesday with Alderman Terry Thieme. Now other aldermen are holding their …
43.01416
-88.23557
Waukesha Water Utility
115 Delafield St, Waukesha, WI
/articles/additional-neighborhood-water-meetings-scheduled
1062846
/locations/6415057
Friday, August 26, 2011
Water deal with Milwaukee not yet being discussed while city has a June 2018 deadline to lower radium levels in water supply.
Officials from Waukesha met Thursday with officials in Oak Creek and Racine as the city begins to find the best option for its water source as it seeks to purchase water from Lake Michigan. “Our meetings with officials in Oak Creek and Racine went well today,” said Acting City Administrator Steve Crandell in a news release. “We provided information about our water needs and our timetables and discussed issues related to the process.” “Both Oak Creek and Racine officials are interested in exploring the possibility of providing our citizens with water, and they understand that there are significant potential benefits to their communities. The meetings were productive and we are looking forward to continuing our discussions with both parties …
43.01416
-88.23557
Waukesha Water Utility
115 Delafield St, Waukesha, WI
/articles/waukesha-begins-water-negotiations-with-oak-creek-racine
1062846
/locations/5195387
Steve Edlund
8:46 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
So, instead of the true capital costs reflecting on the supposed $183 million Waukesha will bond for, we're going to bury Oak Creeks infrastructure requirements into the water rates paid by Waukesha water service area residents and businesses. It's all the same water bill Waukesha continues to paint itself as an overvalued community more ›