History of Controversy:
The problem started when Waukesha discovered that the groundwater that we drink is contaminated with radium, and salt water. The water that Waukesha gets is groundwater in the ground that can only get pulled up by a pipe. There are lots of questions as to how Waukesha will get the water. Some cities will not like a long pipe going across the city. The pipe will cost a lot of money to make and install, and the pipe will have a big impact on the environment. The way that Waukesha would get the water would be to have millions of gallons taken from Lake Michigan, shipped into the city, and have it distributed to homes. After everyone has used the water, Waukesha will send the water back to Lake Michigan. There are two options that have been proposed for returning the water. Waukesha can send the water through a pipeline back to Lake Michigan, or they can send the water back through one of two rivers that connect to Lake Michigan - Underwood Creek, or the Root River. If Waukesha receives the green light to use the rivers, up to 11 million gallons of treated water water a day would make a return trip to Lake Michigan. Racine is worried about the waste water that would come across the Root River. Some homeowners in Racine are worried about flooding. It is estimated that it would take 5 years to make the pipeline, and it would put around 50,000 people to work. Current Status: Waukesha is trying to get a deal struck with Oak Creek. Oak Creek is proposing a plan to work with Waukesha, nothing has been finalized as of yet. Milwaukee is willing to sell Waukesha lake water, as long as Waukesha agrees to Milwaukee’s terms. Many of the other Great Lakes cities do not want Waukesha getting the water because Waukesha wants to go and share the lake water to other surrounding cities. Possible Ethical Issues: Some people think that radium limits set by the EPA are unfair. There are many fiscal and environmental costs of complying with the law, considering the rare chance that a person would get cancer. To get cancer a person would be to drink a two liter bottle of water every day for 70 years to get a 1 in a million chance of getting cancer. Other cities are wondering how much money it would cost to fund the pipe that would be needed to pump the water to Waukesha, and how the pipe will affect the environment. Power-Dynamic Analysis: Currently Oak Creek, and the Great Lakes states have the power in this situation, as Waukesha needs their cooperation to move forward. Also, the political leaders of Waukesha, Milwaukee, the Great Lakes States, and the staff of the different water utilities have great responsibility and power as the work to resolve this important resource issue. Sources: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/174610241.html http://www.wuwm.com/news/wuwm_news.php?articleid=11278 http://www.oakcreeknow.com/news/cninews/with-waukesha-in-water-limbo-barrett-repeats-offer-gj76qk6-173914331.html http://www.waukeshanow.com/news/cninews/waukesha-oak-creek-working-to-put-water-deal-back-in-motion-ns7j1rm-178119531.html http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/87014897.html http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/radium.html http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/oak-creek-signs-off-on-waukesha-water-deal-ra7nm6b-180231041.html |
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