Water Commission will discuss Milwaukee route study on Thursday
Waukesha Freeman
Nov 14, 2017
Hannah Weikel, Freeman Staff
Waukesha — As part of an ongoing study to select the preferred water pipeline route between Milwaukee and Waukesha, the water utility is looking at a portion of Minooka Park, southeast of the city, for a new booster pumping station.
Though a final pipeline route hasn’t been set, the utility, with the help of Greeley and Hansen, a water and wastewater engineering firm, has narrowed the options to three lines between Milwaukee and Waukesha with the final report’s release scheduled for April 2018. They will all utilize consistent start and end points at the intersection of 84th Street and Cold Spring Road in the city of Milwaukee and the booster pumping station that will be located at Minooka Park at the intersection of Racine Avenue and Swartz Road, according to a water utility memo.
The memo also asks for the authorization to spend an additional $1,037,588 to extend work on the Greeley and Hansen pipeline route study through Dec. 31 of this year, instead of Nov. 30 that was budgeted for. A second amendment is expected to come before the commission next month that will outline the scope and cost for the study as it continues into 2018.
The memo goes on to say that all costs were built into the $286.2 million water project proposal with Milwaukee.
Waukesha Water Utility Manager Dan Duchniak was not available for comment Monday afternoon.
Mayor Shawn Reilly, also a member of the water commission, said he didn’t know specifics about the Minooka Park booster station and asked that questions be deferred to Duchniak.
The commission will also go into closed session Thursday to discuss negotiations for the purchase of Lake Michigan water. The city expects to start piping in Great Lakes water by 2023.