Many Quebec municipalities and cities have recently adopted “a resolution” asking the government to intercede and block a water diversion project request planned by the US city of Waukesha, Wisconsin. It wishes to implement a water source pipeline and/or canal in order to draw its primary drinking water from Lake Michigan, of the North American Great Lakes. The small city of Waukesha is located 1,500 kilometers from Quebec and is located about twenty kilometers from the area that if implemented, would supply approx. 70,000 residents with drinking water from Lake Michigan.
f the plan gets the “Go Ahead”, it would represent the first time ever that an exemption to a treaty prohibiting diversion of water from the Great Lakes is altered.
“The Cities of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence” which include Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Quebec and other Quebec cities, are said to be speaking out against the project. The organization has reportedly requested a meeting with the Prime Minister Philippe Couillard.
Last week, the state of Michigan held a hearing as part of a review of Waukesha's plan. A number of environmentalists spoke out against the plan. Laura Rubin of the Huron River Watershed Council said that Waukesha doesn't need lake water, and should instead keep using local groundwater, according to Wisconsin Public radio.
According to media reports , it was alleged that Montreal may be concerned that any diversion could potentially lower the river level and in turn “undermine the competitiveness of the Port of Montreal”
Already criticized worldwide for the controversial dumping of nearly five billion liters of sewage into the St. Lawrence last fall, activists and critics are calling Montreal “hypocritical” with accusations toward the city of having a “lack of environmental credibility”.
A decision according this type of deviation from the Lake could be precedent setting in regard to the future of responsible water distribution, potential impact on the Environment, Aquatic culture, and wildlife, as well as to the biodiversity and conservation strategies affecting ALL of the Great Lakes.