Work to end Pleasant Prairie's Lake Michigan Diversion is progressing according to schedule. In accordance with a historic water agreement, the 73-1 and Sewer D treatment plants must be retired by the last day of 2010. The unique, return flow agreement helped secure a supply of safe and radium free drinking water to the western half of the Village. At the same time, it assured the Great Lakes States that Pleasant Prairie would end it's Lake Michigan diversion and begin returning water, drawn from Lake Michigan, to the Great Lakes Basin by the end of 2010 in order to protect the resource.

The work to end the diversion will now lead to a new opportunity to create a bike and pedestrian trail. A relief line will be constructed to convey wastewater, currently being treated at the Sewer D plant, to a connection point with a Village wastewater collection system, which discharges to the Kenosha Water Utility's wastewater treatment plant. In order to allow for regular maintenance, a granular path will be installed above the relief line, running its entire length. “The granular path presents a unique opportunity,” commented Mike Spence, Village of Pleasant Prairie Engineer. “Because the relief line and path will pass between two Village parks, it will be repurposed as a bike and pedestrian trail linking the two.” The new bike and pedestrian trail will run between Pleasant Prairie Park located on 104th Avenue and Prairie Springs Park located at the northwest corner of State Highway 165 and County Highway H.

Spence added, “We're still on target for meeting our commitment to end the diversion, and the fact that we'll be able to offer the community an added recreational opportunity is really a bonus.” Pleasant Prairie is currently creating a Bike and Pedestrian Trail Plan to guide the future development of an integrated trail system throughout the community. Compliance with the return flow agreement will help ensure the continued availability of safe drinking water for the western half of Pleasant Prairie. More information about the agreement is available online at PleasantPrairieOnline.com under News/2008 in the 2/6/2008 article titled “Historical Water Agreement Impacts 2008 Budget.”