October 2008

U.S. Water News Online

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The cities of Waukesha and Fond du Lac could be fined for failing to reduce the amount of radium in their drinking water.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has asked the attorney general's office to fine the cities. The fines could be up to $5,000 per day, but a state official has said it won't seek that much.

Forty-two Wisconsin water utilities had until December 2006 to reduce radium and meet federal safe drinking water standards.

Waukesha officials say they are working on a number of projects to provide safe drinking water, including developing new wells.

Fond du Lac public works director Mark Lentz says it is in the middle of a $32.4 million water system upgrade that includes radium abatement projects.