The Waukesha Water Utility has retained a firm to monitor costs on its $207 million Lake Michigan diversion project.
The construction contract compliance division of Chicago-based Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP will monitor costs related to acquiring and returning Lake Michigan water. In announcing the decision, the utility noted the firm has experience with large pipeline projects.
“We are preparing to embark on one of the largest municipal water supply projects in the history of the state of Wisconsin,” said Dan Duchniak, Waukesha Water Utility general manager. “Baker Tilly will work to help us so that ratepayers’ dollars are buying only what we need.”
Waukesha received approval in June from the Great Lakes Compact Council to withdraw up to 8.2 million gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan. The city still needs to negotiate a final deal to purchase water from the city of Oak Creek, but the plan is to build a pipeline from Oak Creek to Waukesha, upgrade Waukesha’s water treatment facilities and build a second pipeline to return water via the Root River.
Estimates put the cost for the project at $207 million and Duchniak said it is the least expensive source of safe, sustainable water for the city. He acknowledged the cost could double or even triple the water bill for Waukesha residents.
“We want to tap into Baker Tilly’s expertise sooner, rather than later, to avoid making the common mistakes,” said Donna School, Waukesha Water Utility administrative services manager.
The utility has started to talk to project management firms and hopes to have a project manager hired this fall.
