New State Law Allows Regional Water Commissions for Northern Illinois — Including Kane County - kanecountyconnects.com
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 280, enabling the creation of a Regional Water Commission for Joliet and the surrounding communities.
The new law allows the commission to purchase water from Chicago and Lake Michigan.
According to a state of Illinois news release, the legislation will help ensure a sustainable drinking water source is available for communities in northeastern Illinois.
“The legislation I’m signing today not only creates a path for sustainable water for families, but it will bring thousands of local jobs,” Pritzker said.
The legislation establishes the Regional Water Commissions Act, which would allow for municipalities to form a regional commission to build, own, and operate a water system. To be a part of the commission, municipalities must include at least one municipality with at least 140,000 inhabitants that is located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, or Will counties.
“This will enable us to address our drinking water needs as a region, for the benefit of generations to come,” Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said.
Hugh O’Hara, Executive Director of the Will County Governmental League, said the legislation will allow Will County communities to come together to provide safe, clean, and sustainable drinking water for generations to come.
“Working together will allow our region to accomplish all this in the most cost effective way possible,” he said.
In northeastern Illinois, more water has been drained from the aquifers than is replenished, causing water levels to drop. As a result, the aquifer currently supplying Joliet’s wells is not projected to meet the demands by 2030. The newly created commission will be able to best meet the needs of their local communities.
Senate Bill 280 is effective immediately.
SOURCE: state of Illinois news release
source: https://kanecountyconnects.com/2021/12/new-state-law-allows-regional-water-commissions-for-northern-illinois-including-kane-county/
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