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Legislature Favoring Private Municipal Water Owners

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A state Senate panel has endorsed a bill that could make it easier for private investors to own public water utilities in Wisconsin.

The G-O-P measure was endorsed on a three-to-two party line vote, and it now goes to the full Senate after the Assembly earlier approved a similar bill. Right now, private out-of-state firms can buy public water supplies, but affected voters must approve the deals in referendums.

The bill from Assembly Republican Tyler August of Lake Geneva would make referendums optional.

Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Director Kerry Schuman says with a municipal water supply in the news the public should be concerned...

"....obviously safe drinking water is about the most fundamental thing to a healthy community. We are seeing in Flint, Michigan now what happens when there isn't someone looking out for your municipal water systems...."

Critics also say such moves cause higher water rates -- but Curt Witynski of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities supports the change, saying there does not need to be "direct democracy" for everything local governments do.

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