Town Of Waukesha Wins Well-Drilling Protections

Litigation by the Town of Waukesha has led to court-ordered protections should the neighboring City of Waukesha drill wells in the Town for a future City water supply, according to agreement reached between the Town and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The Freeman explains it pretty well.

    The clarifications of the Water System Facilities Approval specified that a separate written approval from the DNR is necessary before constructing test wells or production wells. The Waukesha Water Utility must also submit plans and specifications for the production wells to the DNR for review and approval. Along with the plans and specifications for the production wells, the utility must submit all data collected from pump testing of the test wells for review by the DNR. 

    “We are extremely pleased with the resolution of our case regarding the Water System Facilities approval originally issued July 1, 2010, regarding the former Lathers property in the Town of Waukesha,” said Town Chairwoman Angie E. Van Scyoc in an e-mail. “The DNR issued a clarification letter dated April 13, 2011, which provides for a newly established and thorough permitting process before construction of any wells, test or otherwise. Those are new and critically important requirements to the former blanket approval contained in the original approval document.”

This is but one round in a multi-layered dispute between the Town and City over water supplies. If the City's well-drilling plans proceed with all required approvals, it would acquire access to the well-field through condemnation of nearly 13 acres in the Town.

Some context is here.