A first in the history of the Great Lakes

On 21 June 2016, the request made by the town of Waukesha (Wisconsin), consisting in diverting the water of Lake Michigan to provide the municipal supply, was unanimously approved by the Great Lakes Compact Council, which represents the governors of the eight States bordering the Great Lakes.

The town of Waukesha has become the first municipality located outside the basin of the Great Lakes to be authorised to withdraw water from these reserves since the signature of the Great Lakes Compact (2008) by virtue of which the American States and Canadian Provinces ruled against any transfer of water outside the basin.