Two legislators proposed a bill Monday to establish sustainable procedures and safeguards for the state’s water supply.
The bill’s authors, state Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, and state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, said in a press release the bill is necessary because existing law is not adequate to protect the water supply for future generations.
If passed, the bill would add a subcommittee to the existing Groundwater Coordinating Council, tasked with examining areas of the state that may qualify as groundwater. Oversight of these areas would be given to the Department of Natural Resources until groundwater conditions in the area are deemed improved.
Mason stressed the bill’s main purpose is to put decisions about how to handle water shortage issues in the hands of local residence.
“The idea is actually for local water councils to resolve water shortage issues, without the DNR becoming involved,” Mason said. “The DNR involvement comes at the end of the process if a resolution can’t be reached locally.”
Mason also stressed the dynamic nature of the bill, which he said would allow for the diverse ecologies in the state to be dealt with using customized procedures.
“In some areas overuse of water is really leading to rivers and streams drying up, so in those places, places like the central sands, they would have a different procedure put in place,” Mason said.
Legislators may sign onto the bill as co-sponsors until Feb. 25, after which Miller and Mason will introduce it to the state Legislature for passage.
