What is Water Star? FAQs

What is Water Star?
• Water Star is a program that rewards communities for preserving and improving their local water quality.
• Water Star has 5 main components:
  - surface water
  - groundwater
  - land use
  - habitat & wildlife
  - health & recreation.
• There are 5 general types of activities in Water Star:
  - education
  - planning
  - physical improvements
  - improving municipal ordinances
  - improving municipal programs and operations.

How does Water Star work?
• Water Star community residents and local governments work together on the issues they identify as local priorities.
• Water Star is a voluntary program, based on incentives, not regulation.
• Water Star provides a framework for communities to address water quality issues, offering guidance and examples from elsewhere in the state to make preservation, conservation and restoration easier.
• Water Star communities earn points for their activities, and then earn recognition for their achievements.

What results will Water Star have?
• By helping to improve water quality, Water Star helps communities to:
  - protect fish and wildlife
  - protect lakes and rivers for public enjoyment
  - increase local quality of life
  - maintain property values
  - save municipalities money.
• Water Star communities will be eligible for state programs and incentives.

What is happening now?
• Water Star is currently a 6-month pilot project in the Rock River basin (in south central Wisconsin). Initially, it will be tested in 3 communities.
• Water Star will eventually be a statewide program for local governments (towns, villages, cities and lake districts) across Wisconsin.
• The Water Star pilot project is organized by the Rock River Coalition in partnership with 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin, the River Alliance of Wisconsin, Town and Country Resource, Conservation & Development, and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes.
• The Water Star pilot project is funded by a Wisconsin DNR River Planning grant.