Whitewater’s Public Works Committee met this week to address a variety of city issues, including water system plan updates, parking near the Whitewater Middle School, handicap accessibility and a debris blockage in the Whitewater Creek.
The meeting began with a discussion about the city’s 2017 water system master plan, which outlines long-term goals for managing the municipal water supply. The plan is typically updated every 12 years, meaning the next update would be due around 2028. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently implemented a new code requiring all the Great Lakes water utilities to develop a source water protection plan by Dec. 31.
The new code mandates that the water supply plan be updated every five years, and according to city officials, Whitewater’s 2017 plan already includes about 75 percent of what the new plan calls for, giving the city two options: either creating a brand new master plan ahead of schedule or building upon the existing one. The updated plan must also be presented to the public for review and feedback.
Following the water plan discussion, the committee turned its attention to an issue on Elizabeth Street near Whitewater Middle School. Traffic congestion has become an issue during student drop-off and pickup times. The area has seen repeated problems with drivers stopping in the middle of the street to drop off students which ends up causing traffic backups and safety concerns.
“We’ve just had concerns about traffic during drop-offs and during pickup at the end of the day,” committee member Neil Hicks said. “It’s always been a disaster on Elizabeth Street.”
To address the issue, the committee discussed the possibility of enforcing a no stopping, standing or parking rule along that section of Elizabeth Street. Other potential solutions include adding crosswalks, setting up traffic cones or assigning police officers to monitor the area during drop-off and pickup hours. Members acknowledged that changing driver behavior may be difficult and a further discussion will take place in future meetings.
The committee also discussed accessibility updates at the Hamilton House, where they discussed potential plans to install a handicap accessible ramp. To meet accessibility standards, the proposed ramp will need to be widened.
Later in the meeting, the committee addressed concerns about a large tree that had recently fallen into the Whitewater Creek, which ended up creating a blockage and caused the creek to be covered in debris, affecting many nearby homeowners. Residents have contacted the city about the issue that happened last year.
Although the DNR is not responsible for removing blockage, the city expresses concern that simply removing the fallen tree could cause additional debris to float downstream, which could create further issues. City officials are considering a more vigorous cleanup that includes removing both the tree and the debris. The council plans to revisit the issue in future meetings as well as evaluate the safest and most effective approach to clearing up the creek while minimizing environmental impacts.
The Public Works committee did not take any final action on the discussed items, but emphasized that they remain a priority as the city continues to balance accessibility and community safety.
