Milwaukee Conditions For Waukesha Water Sale: The Actual Resolutions

Questions are often raised about exactly what Milwaukee city policy requires of a city like Waukesha if a Lake Michigan water diversion contract were to be negotiated.

Expect to hear a great deal - - pro and con, probably mostly con - - about Milwaukee's alleged water sale conditions when Waukesha's Common Council decides Thursday evening whether to approve that city's pending, draft application seeking a Lake Michigan diversion.

The matter is sure to pass, thus sending the diversion application forward to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the first of several state and regional reviews, but will probably be accompanied by negative comments on the council floor from aldermen about Waukesha risking or losing its sovereignty or independence, or its shirt, in a water sale contract with Milwaukee.

Negotiations could begin soon between Milwaukee and Waukesha, so that if the Wisconsin DNR and the other seven Great Lakes states eventually grant the diversion permission - - and that is by no means clear - - Milwaukee and Waukesha could close quickly on a water sale agreement and any contract or side deals for regional cooperation or shared revenue or collaborative service payments.

Below are the two relevant Milwaukee Common Council water sale policy and procedure resolutions and their file numbers - - and their history.

Click on the resolution file numbers and their texts will come up.

Make sure you also read Milwaukee Council President Willie Hines' written statement about the issue, and about regional cooperation, too.

It's a very interesting document - - News release by Ald. Hines

All Milwaukee legislative actions are accessible through this portion of the Common Council Clerk's website, known as Legistar.

File #	Type	Status	File Created	Final Action	Title
091017	Resolution	Passed	12/1/2009	12/22/2009	Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee’s interest in exploring the potential sale of water to the City of Waukesha.
080457	Resolution	Passed	7/1/2008	7/30/2008	Substitute resolution establishing terms and conditions by which the City of Milwaukee will provide water service to neighboring communities