Monthly archive

Safeguarding the Sale of Public Water Works

November 30, 2009

This past summer Milwaukee Riverkeeper helped form a coalition called KPOW (Keep Public Our Water) that stopped the City of Milwaukee's move to privatize the water works.

Due to its continued efforts, both the Wisconsin State Legislature and the Milwaukee Common Council have introduced laws to ensure public ownership of Milwaukee's Water Works.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper Files Notice of Intent to Sue U.S. EPA for Failure to Regulate Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution

November 24, 2009

Milwaukee Riverkeeper, together with a coalition of other environmental organizations,  is calling upon the U.S. EPA to regulate phosphorous and nitrogen pollution in Wisconsin waterways, including the Milwaukee River Basin.  The pollution is contaminating our drinking water, contributing to the growth of toxic "blue green" algae and causing algal blooms in Lake Michigan.

New York Times Covers Failing Sewer Systems

November 23, 2009

[excerpted from the New York Times]

--
A few miles away, people were walking home without umbrellas from late dinners. But at Owls Head, a swimming pool’s worth of sewage and wastewater was soon rushing in every second. Warning horns began to blare. A little after 1 a.m., with a harder rain falling, Owls Head reached its capacity and workers started shutting the intake gates.

That caused a rising tide throughout Brooklyn’s sewers, and untreated feces and industrial waste started spilling from emergency relief valves into the Upper New York Bay and Gowanus Canal.

584 Pounds of Medication Turned In

November 20, 2009

[excerpted from the Journal-Sentinel]

Residents of five Milwaukee County communities dropped off 584 pounds of unused or expired medications at their local police departments in recent months, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District officials said Thursday.

The pharmaceuticals were collected this week; MMSD will pay for proper disposal.

The district asks area residents not to dispose of medicine in a sink, drain or toilet because sewage-treatment plants are not designed to remove them from water, and the chemicals are discharged to Lake Michigan.

Milwaukee's Central Park Moves Forward

November 20, 2009

Milwaukee Riverkeeper played a lead role in helping create the Milwaukee Greenway (or Central Park) along the Milwaukee River Corridor, between North Ave. and Silver Spring Dr.  We still play an active role through the collaboration with the Milwaukee River Work Group.  The project continues to move forward as a recent article illustrates:

Asian Carp - Threat to Our Native Species

November 20, 2009

Milwaukee Riverkeeper is demanding that immediate action to be taken against the invasive Asian Carp, which can grow to over 100 pounds and wreck havoc on our Great Lakes' ecosystem.   

Together with other Great Lakes Waterkeepers, we recently sent a letter to the Great Lakes Governors asking them to declare a state of emergency, which would allow Federal agencies to enact emergency measures to prevent the invasion of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes.

Emergency measures include shutting down the Chicago River, Willamette & O'Brien Locks, and authorizing federal agencies to take all control measures necessary to stop the carp.

New DNA evidence shows the carp has likely made it past the electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, as well as made it to Cal-Sag Channel and Calumet River just 8 miles from Lake Michigan.  Now, the only thing standing between the carp and Lake Michigan are a few heavily used navigational locks!

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton Calls on Legislative Leadership to Lead Veto Override of Independent DNR Secretary Bill

November 16, 2009

MADISON - Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton today issued the following statement regarding Governor Jim Doyle’s veto of Assembly Bill 138, also known as the Independent DNR Secretary Bill.

Governor Signs Bill Banning Phosphorus from Dish Detergents

November 13, 2009

Nov 12, 2009 - Wisconsin Association of Lakes is pleased to announce that the State of Wisconsin today took another important step in controlling nutrient pollution in Wisconsin’s waters, as Governor Jim Doyle signed legislation prohibiting the use of phosphorus in dishwasher soaps.We wanted to take a moment to say "thanks" for your support of us, which helped make this law possible.

DNR plans to pour 4,000 gallons of the chemical into Germantown ponds to kill intruders

November 11, 2009

[excerpted from the Journal-Sentinel]

Germantown - Louisiana red swamp crayfish lurking in a village pond will be drinking Wisconsin bleach this week in a continuing battle between the invasive species and state environmental officials.

Study Shows Privatizing Water Would Cost YOU More

November 11, 2009

Milwaukee Riverkeeper helped form a coalition named KPOW (Keep Public Out Water) this past summer to stop the City of Milwaukee's move to privatize the Water Works.

While the option is "off the table" for the moment, the Common Council has inferred the issue is not dead.  A new study by Food & Water Watch shows that privatizing Milwaukee's water would result in a drastic cost increase to the average consumer.