Currently, the communities who have participated in the initial feasibility studies and are formally requesting a Lake Michigan water allocation include: Antioch, Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Lindenhurst, Long Grove, Wauconda, Lake Zurich, Volo and the unincorporated communities of Fox Lake Hills and Grandwood Park, which are serviced by Lake County Public Works.
When will Lake Michigan water be available for my community?
In order to build a new public water supply, a series of steps need to be undertaken. The first step is obtaining a Lake Michigan water allocation for each participating community. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reviews allocation requests and makes a determination. If the request is granted, the communities will create a water agency that would be responsible for establishing a financing method and construcing the system. Once that is determined, the design and construction of the necessary treatment, pumping and pipeline facilities can proceed.
Currently, participating communities have applied to the IDNR for Lake Michigan allocations. If successful, it is anticipated allocations will be received before the summer of 2010. Successful agency formation, bond referendums and construction could have Lake Michigan water flowing as early as 2014.
What is a Lake Michigan allocation and why is it important?
There is a long history of Lake Michigan water use by the State of Illinois extending back to the construction of the Illinois Michigan Canal. Concerns regarding diverting water from the Great Lakes have led to international treaties between the United States and Canada, as well as a history of decisions by courts as high as the United States Supreme Court. The results of these actions strictly limit how much water can be removed by Illinois communities from Lake Michigan and under what conditions.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has the legal responsibility to administer the use of Lake Michigan water in accordance with the findings of the courts and responsibilities under the various Great Lakes treaties. It is through the IDNR allocation process that communities are granted the right to use water from Lake Michigan for public water supplies.
How will Lake Michigan water come to my home?
Present plans include the construction of new facilities on the Lake County Public Water District’s property, located in Zion, for treatment and pumping. A new water transmission main will carry the treated water west towards Antioch, then south towards Lake Zurich and Long Grove. Along the way, water would flow from the new transmission mains into member community’s water tanks, where it would be pumped into their community systems for delivery to your home or business.
How much will Lake Michigan water cost?
About half the cost will come from general obligation bonds, funded by property taxes in these specific communities. The remaining half will come from monthly service charges on water bills. It is estimated that it will cost the average household about $40 per month.
Can I still use my well?
Homes with wells are not connected to public water supplies and will not generally be affected. However, if you currently have a well and would like Lake Michigan water – and it’s available in your neighborhood– then your well would need to be disconnected from your home. In many jurisdictions, your well could still be used, but only for irrigation purposes.
Why do we need Lake Michigan water in the first place?
Since the early 1950s, suburban Chicago communities have experienced reduced water levels in their wells. The near western and northwestern suburbs first experienced this problem, and as more people moved to the northern suburbs, well water levels will decrease in those communities.
Western Lake County is now experiencing significant drops in water well levels. Experts now tell us that unless something is done soon we will likely face serious regional water shortages.
Will I see a difference in the water in my home?
Yes, in most cases, you will see improved water quality in your home. The existing community wells produce water that is very hard, which means it has a high mineral content. The minerals in the water interfere with the action of soaps, which causes many people to use a home water softener. The well water frequently contains elevated quantities of dissolved iron, which can discolor laundry and stain plumbing fixtures.
Lake Michigan water, on the other hand, has only moderate hardness and almost no dissolved iron. Many people with Lake Michigan water do not use a home water softener, and have no trouble with iron stains
In some cases, communities with wells have central treatment systems to address the hardness and iron issues. If your community has a treatment system, you will not see a significant change in water quality. However, with a Lake Michigan water supply, your community will no longer need to operate and maintain its own treatment system.
Will my streets be torn up with construction?
Most of the communities in the system already have local water mains in the streets to deliver water to homes and businesses. The Lake Michigan water supply pipeline will connect to the local distribution water mains. This means that local streets will not be disrupted.
There will be major construction to install the Lake Michigan water main to connect from the lake to each community. For the most part, this construction will take place along major roads. Construction planning will include provisions to maintain traffic during the construction period.
Water mains will need to be installed in areas that do not presently have local water mains and that construction will impact local streets. Once again, traffic will be maintained during construction.
Are there other systems like this?
The Central Lake County water system is very similar. It delivers water to Libertyville, Mundelein, Round Lake, and many others. In addition, there are other similar systems such as the DuPage Water Commission, and the smaller Northwest Water Commission, which supplies Buffalo Grove, Palatine, and others.
