"It's gonna affect everything:" Some in Racine concerned over proposal to divert water from lake for Waukesha
WAUKESHA -- The city of Waukesha needs water -- and the effort to get it is involving eight states that border the Great Lakes. A critical vote is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21st -- and not everyone is on board with the plan.
"I rent canoes down here," Joseph Pirk said.
Joseph Pirk
Pirk lives and works in Racine -- near where the Root River flows into Lake Michigan.
"There's so much garbage that floats down this river. It's pathetic," Pirk said.
Pirk was concerned when he heard talk of Waukesha's wastewater winding its way into the area.
"It's gonna affect everything. People who start hearing about that, I mean, they're not gonna wanna come down here anymore," Pirk said.
Lake Michigan in Racine
His is a shared concern.
Racine Mayor John Dickert
"If you were to be an oddsmaker on this one, I wouldn't take a bet on this, as to where it's gonna go," Racine Mayor John Dickert said.
On Monday, June 20th, Dickert said he and many others in Racine are anxiously awaiting the results of a vote scheduled for Tuesday, June 21st which could have rippling ramifications in Racine.
"Even the Findings of Fact did not deal with the pollution that's coming down, the waste treatments coming down, from Waukesha to and through Racine," Dickert said.
Lake Michigan in Racine
The City of Waukesha is the first municipality to propose diverting water from Lake Michigan to supply its residents under a provision of the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact.
On Tuesday, governors in eight states which border the Great Lakes are scheduled to vote to approve or deny the request, which would involve returning Waukesha's treated wastewater to the lake.
"If they would like to jump in a big pond of water that is the affluent coming out of the Waukesha wastewater treatment plant and start dipping their heads and their kids' heads under that water and having a grand old time in there, then I'd like to see that scenario," Dickert said.
Lake Michigan in Racine
Mayor Dickert said he is also concerned that granting Waukesha's request could open the door for dozens of similar requests.
Tuesday's vote doesn't involve majority rule, so if any one of those voting rejects the proposal -- it will fail.
Lake Michigan in Racine