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Kudos to Milwaukee aldermen and Mayor Barrett for making a stand today against regional sprawl development by telling the City of Waukesha that a discussion about diverting Lake Michigan water through the Milwaukee Water Utility will not include four smaller Waukesha-area communities that are disconnected from the life of Milwaukee and its residents.

Waukesha has said it is not responsible for including in its diversion plan the four smaller communities - - that it was done by the regional planning commission - - but Waukesha neither objected to the water service map that was drawn by SEWRPC, or told those communities they needed to provide information that Milwaukee has said since 2008 it needs to evaluate a possible water sale.

Sending Milwaukee water far from Milwaukee to communities without a bus line or a housing stock or a job plan reasonably available to Milwaukee residents makes no sense for Milwaukee, and only promotes highway-building and growth patterns that degrade open space, clean air, flowing water - - and those results cost all taxpayers money.

Waukesha can edit its application to comply with Milwaukee's review standards and expectations, or it can apply for a sale from Oak Creek or Racine - - spending more money on infrastructure for a product some say is inferior because Milwaukee ozonates to further clean its drinking water.

Regardless - - Waukesha needs to look to its application, and stop hiding behind SEWRPC.

More, here.

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