Waukesha decision "sets a pretty high bar" for future tests of Great Lakes Compact

Michigan Public | By Stateside Staff

Published June 22, 2016 at 4:54 PM EDT

The city of Waukesha worked on their proposal for more than five years.

Our conversation with Molly Flanagan, Vice President of Policy for the Alliance for the Great Lakes

The governors of the eight states bordering the Great Lakes have said "yes" to Waukesha.

The Wisconsin city will be allowed to draw up to 8.2 million gallons of water from Lake Michigan each day. The city made the request because its groundwater source is contaminated with radium.

This is the first big test of the Great Lakes Compact which was formed by the Great Lakes states eight years ago to keep the lakes' water from being diverted by thirsty cities and states outside of the Great Lakes Basin.

Molly Flanagan joined us to discuss the compromises that allowedWaukesha's proposal to move forward and the precedent it sets for the future of the Great Lakes Compact.

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Molly Flanagan is Vice President of Policy for the Alliance for the Great Lakes.