Regional Water Commission Will Break Ground On Projects Next Year

ROMEOVILLE, IL — The towns in the Grand Prairie Water Commission continue to make progress on the mission of bringing sustainable and high-quality water to the communities of Joliet, Channahon, Crest Hill, Minooka, Shorewood and Romeoville, according to a release from the Village of Romeoville.

The commission was introduced last year. In the past six months, Joliet has approved a 100-year agreement with Chicago to define the terms under which the future water commission will be provided water, the release states.

Channahon, Crest Hill, Minooka and Romeoville have completed the application and hearing process required for Illinois Department of Natural Resources approval of their Lake Michigan water allocations, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency granted the proposed commission a new Public Water Supply ID Number.

“We have made tremendous progress in the last year and are thrilled to be advancing efforts to create the Grand Prairie Water Commission,” Shorewood Mayor CC DeBold, who chairs the leadership group working to form the commission, said in a release. “Through this Commission, we will be able to tap into Lake Michigan and ensure sustainable, reliable and high quality drinking water for our communities for decades to come.”

The remaining Lake Michigan allocation permits are anticipated in early 2024, and "the six member communities are well-positioned to formally create the new Grand Prairie Water Commission in the first half of 2024," according to a release.

A baseline program schedule and budget has also been developed, and reflects the improvements that will be needed to transfer water from the Chicago Connection to 14 delivery points in the southwest suburban region.

This schedule "supports delivery of Lake Michigan water to GPWC customers by May 2030 and indicates the GPWC will break ground on its first construction project at the Chicago Connection in late summer of 2024," a release states.

The budget of $1.45 billion is the total projected cost for the design, construction, management, legal and support activities through completion in May 2030. $72 million has already been secured in federal low-interest loans, and $7 million secured in federal and regional grant funds.

According to the release, applications for additional federal and state loan funds in excess of $1 billion will be submitted later this year.