There Are Two Waukeshas, And Water Policy Is About To Swamp The Smaller

The City of Waukesha's short-range plan to drill new wells in the less-populous, neighboring Town of Waukesha is leading to the recall of two of three Town board members.

If people in the Town of Waukesha don't like the expansionist plans from the City, just wait until the City wins approval of its Lake Michigan diversion application - - assuming it does.

The City intends to ship Lake Michigan water into a much bigger water service territory that includes some of the Town - - and that could lead to annexations to the City by Town property owners or developers planning new subdivisions.

That would diminish the Town and complicate its boundaries.

I've been told that one reason that the City has sought the Lake Michigan solution to its water supply issues is that solving them with more new wells in the Town and other areas to the west and south would ramp up the local border and property development wars.

Better, the City thinks, to go for Lake water, regardless of the complexities of an eight-state approval and a water sale agreement with preferred provider - - the City of Milwaukee.