Conservation groups challenge Wisconsin`s authority to divert millions of gallons of Lake Michigan water to Waukesha

A coalition of 25 conservation groups from across the Great Lakes on Thursday called on Wisconsin to defend its authority to allow the city of Waukesha to siphon off millions of gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan.

Waukesha`s water supply is contaminated with radium, compelling the suburb of Milwaukee to seek unprecedented permission to replace its drinking water with Great Lakes water.

Last month, an advisory council of the eight Great Lakes states, plus two Canadian provinces, recommended that an exception be made to the Great Lakes Compact, which bans the diversion of fresh water from the lakes by cities outside the Great Lakes water basin, such as Waukesha....

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