Lake Michigan Water in Wauconda
Since the inception of the public water system over 75 years ago, underground water has been pumped from local wells and delivered for use to Wauconda residents and businesses. In 2008, Village officials became concerned about the diminishing water supply in local aquifers and the possibility of ground water contamination, and began work to investigate alternate water sources. One of the alternatives considered was Lake Michigan water, and a request was submitted to the proper authorities for consideration to grant an allocation of the lake water. The request was approved in 2011 and on November 6, 2012, Wauconda residents voted in favor of making Lake Michigan water the community’s primary source of drinking water, switching away from the current ground water wells. With the voter passage of this referendum, the Village began work immediately to make Lake Michigan water its primary source of drinking water (the current well system will remain in place to act as an emergency back-up system).
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Informational Q&As
The Village gets its water from the aquifers accessed by four shallow wells (wells less than 500 feet deep) and four deep wells (more than 1,000 feet deep) located throughout the Village. The raw water that comes from the deep wells contains several naturally occurring elements including radium and barium. Water from the Village’s deep wells is currently being treated to meet the EPA’s required thresholds for radium and barium levels.
Is something wrong with the existing groundwater supply?
No, nothing is wrong with the drinking water that the Village currently provides. The Lake Michigan Water referendum addressed concerns for the future water supplies for our community.
Why was Lake Michigan water a good choice for Village residents?
The Village considered adding additional wells to its existing system, but Lake Michigan water is less susceptible to both over-mining and contamination. Lake water is also naturally softer than groundwater, so use of in-home water softeners will likely be unnecessary.
What will happen if something pollutes the water in Lake Michigan or if there is a problem with the pipeline from the lake?
Wauconda’s groundwater wells will still be maintained as an emergency water supply should an interruption to the Lake Michigan water supply occur. This redundancy is one of the greatest benefits of the Lake Michigan Water project. Having two completely different sources of water, one of our most vital resources, provides the safest, most reliable system.
How does this affect unincorporated Wauconda residents currently receiving municipal water?
Currently, approximately 400 of Wauconda’s water customers live outside Village limits. Because they do not contribute to the water system through property tax, these customers pay 25% more to receive municipal water. This surcharge will be adjusted further to help offset the expense of LMW.
In 2011, civil engineering firm Baxter & Woodman, Inc. produced a report detailing the Village of Wauconda’s existing groundwater resources, demand, and future prognosis. Feasibility studies prepared at that time showed that the aquifers in the local area have limited capacity and are susceptible to impurities and contaminants. Increasing demand for water has resulted in recent over-pumping of several aquifers creating low water levels and poor water quality. Click below to review the report. Click here to download pdf.Feasibility Study
The Village of Wauconda is located in Lake County, Illinois. We offer unique shopping and dining experiences, a historical business district, and a 306 acre recreational lake. 