Water Supply
For years, Openlands has been at the forefront of water supply issues in Illinois, formulating and supporting strategies that address the demands of a growing population, as well as increasing industrial and agricultural consumption.
For example, on the same day that Governor Rod Blagojevich issued a 2006 executive order to launch state and regional water-supply planning and management initiatives, Openlands and the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) released Troubled Waters, which identified groundwater conditions and challenges at the time.Troubled Waters remains relevant today—its warning that growing urbanization severely taxes Illinois aquifers and surface water sources continues to ring true. And its call for more sensible and strategic water-use practices persists as a priority for Openlands. These include:
- Repairing aging pipes and infrastructure,
- Requiring accurate water-use reporting,
- Water pricing that reflect its true cost, and
- Factoring water availability into development planning.
In 2008, Openlands continued its pioneering role in water-supply advocacy by pushing for the passage of the Great Lakes Basin Compact, conducting a review of the natural areas along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and partnerning with MPC to host a day-long regional water conference, Beyond Showerheads and Sprinklers: Water Governance Solutions for Illinois. This year Openlands and MPC co-hosted Before the Wells Run Dry: Ensuring Sustainable Water Supplies for Illinois.
Openlands and MPC will continue to advocate for better data and more coordinated water supply planning in Illinois, which are essential to balance water supply and demand. For more information about our water supply initiatives, please contact Openlands Policy Director Lenore Beyer-Clow via e-mail or by phone at 312-863-6264.
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| Water Supply |
| Before the Wells Run Dry: Ensuring Sustainable Water Supplies for Illinois |
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