New Waukesha Water Supply Project 50% Complete

WAUKESHA, WI — The Lake Michigan water supply project is 50% complete, which includes 21 of 36 miles of pipelines, and is on budget, according to the Great Water Alliance.

The city of Waukesha has to meet the federal drinking water standards for radium by 2023.

“This is a significant milestone with our project. If we had not gotten to 50 percent in time, we would have had to spend up to $5 million on studies and temporary radium treatment facilities that won’t be needed after we switch to Great Lakes water. I am proud that our team avoided this expense for ratepayers," Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said in a statement.

The project is building a method to bring water from the Milwaukee Water Works to Waukesha, another method to return it to the Great Lakes Basin after treatment, the water alliance said.

The construction also includes a booster pumping station.

The project will save residents money.

"The project is funded through low-interest state and federal loans, which are repaid by ratepayers. A competitive federal loan awarded to the city will save ratepayers $1 million per year, Reilly said. “No property tax dollars are used for water or wastewater projects. The costs are paid by users through their rates,” he added.