Lake Michigan Water Could Flow Outside Waukesha City Boundaries; Some Questions

Though Waukesha says it is scaling back the amount of Lake Michigan water it seeks to divert, and is saving water through conservation, its diversion application will include this report and map showing where outside its current water delivery service territory it could send some of the water.

The report and map are required elements of a diversion application under the Great Lakes Compact, and were developed by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

Note that some of that acreage is designated by the regional planning commission as environmentally sensitive.

Portions of the service territory expansion are undeveloped, and/or are outside the city's municipal boundaries, too.

Though Waukesha contends it is not a center of sprawl, and has urban, built infrastructure, it's also apparent that Waukesha is looking to expand at its edges, too.

So could Waukesha address these questions:

What portion of the Lake Michigan water it will apply for is intended for the expanded service delivery territory?

What would be that water's impact on development, transit needs and housing needs and patterns there?

And for the City of Milwaukee - - these questions:

It has a water valuation study now out to bid designed to help Milwaukee better deal with suburbs seeking diverted water service; will negotiations with Waukesha target sharing in developmental gains created in the open areas where Waukesha could send some of its diverted water?

And is that the way to incorporate into the negotiations the two cities' mutual housing, transit and developmental opportunities?