Village officials willing to look at lake should groundwater be compromised

Village of Saukville officials are content with the groundwater-based well system used to supply its water system, but the Village Board endorsed a regional water supply plan last week that identifies Lake Michigan as a future source of fresh water.

The plan, which was backed in a unanimously approved village resolution, was prepared by the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Compiled in two volumes, the plan and supporting documents total more than 1,100 pages.

According to the regional plan, the lake is recommended as the primary source for future water system development.

In the resolution addressing the regional plan — which includes Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Washington, Waukesha, Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties — village officials said tapping into a lake-based water system made sense “as a contingency
should local groundwater become compromised.”

Adherence to the SEWRPC water plan is deemed voluntary and no specific timetable is included as to when implementation is recommended.

The City of Port Washington has in the past unsuccessfully explored the idea of supplying water to the village. In planning for the reconstruction of Highway 33, city officials suggested extending water pipes between the communities with a closed valve in the event a service agreement is some day reached.

That suggestion was rejected by the village. Instead, the village has been planning for a new well for a number of years.

The village currently has four active groundwater wells, drilled an average of about 500 feet in depth in the Niagara dolomite aquifer.

The SEWRPC plan recommends that a number of municipalities consider drawing water from Lake Michigan for environmental and supply reasons.

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