“Water will be more important than oil this century.” - Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 2003

Less than 1% of the water on Earth is usable, 20% of that is in the Great Lakes: because of these facts, diverting water from the Great Lakes isn’t a new idea. However without proper management, diversions can critically impact water systems.

In 2008, the US president signed into law the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement between the eight Great Lake States and 2 Canadian provinces. Their reason: to protect and maintain their H.O.M.E.S. as vital economic and cultural resources by banning diversions of water from the Great Lakes basin.

The committee was set up in 2016, right after Waukesha, WI requested a diversion of water from Lake Michigan because their water supply is contaminated with radium. Waukesha was the first real test to the compact but now more than just the Great Lake Compact states are present. The delegates will have to find common ground in diverting water, maintaining economic and ecological sustainability, as well as potentially hearing from other states on why they need a diversion of water.