Racine To Waukesha: Hold The Flow, Please →

Wisconsin Public Radio, May 10, 2016
Author: Chuck Quirmbach

One project, according to Racine Democratic state Rep. Cory Mason, would see the city and developers investing at least $65 million to redevelop an old steam engine plant on riverfront property as a mix of apartments and retail.

"It just doesn't seem fair really that we're doing everything we can to revitalize the river, while Waukesha upstream — they're able to discharge their treated sewage into the river," said Mason. "And we're worried about what it means not only for the health of the river, but the viability of big economic development projects like this."

The Root River in Racine is not pristine. It's impaired by long ago industrial discharges and by upstream farm and road runoff in Racine and Milwaukee counties. But Mason said there's a plan to clean up that pollution, which he said would also help Lake Michigan. Racine says it's already done a lot to boost recreation near the mouth of the river.