Wauwatosa Likely Winner In Waukesha Wastewater Dumping Sweepstakes

When the City of Waukesha began floating the Root River as a possible natural pipeline back to Lake Michigan for wastewater from its sewage treatment plant should Waukesha win a Lake Michigan diversion, State Rep. Cory Mason, (D-Racine), quickly objected.

He said he didn't want Racine to become Waukesha's toilet.

Fair enough. Sounded reasonable.

At this week's special Common Council meeting in Waukesha where officials rolled out some details of its probable Lake Michigan diversion and wastewater application and plans, Underwood Creek in Wauwatosa, cheaper than the Root River wastewater dumping scheme due to proximity, was the preferred probable alternatives.

And the effluent that would flow into Underwood Creek from a pipeline from Waukesha's treatment plant is being defined by Waukesha officials and consultants as a resource that won't harm the Creek, will help the fish, and won't add volume that could worry nearby homeowners.

And if it rains heavily, Waukesha will simply direct the return flow back to the Fox River where the treated wastewater now flows away from Lake Michigan - - a plan that other Great Lakes states may find unacceptable.

But back to local politics:

I find it interesting that Wauwatosa officials have been silent on the issue, with no one stepping forward, as Racine's Rep Mason has done, to object or even question Waukesha's intercity plumbing plans.

Will serving as Waukesha's toilet be Wauwatosa's contribution to regional cooperation - - and, for that matter, Milwaukee and the Menonomee Valley downstream approaching Lake Michigan, too?