The Joliet City Council and the City’s Environmental Commission will review the benefits and challenges of the alternative water sources examined during the Phase II Alternative Water Source Study to ensure a sustainable water supply during a joint workshop to be held next week November 13, 2019 at Joliet City Hall.
Faced with a water supply that will no longer be sustainable by 2030, the City of Joliet launched a study of alternative sources of water in August 2018. An initial list of 14 potential sources was reduced to five, including the Illinois River, Kankakee River, Lake Michigan through the Chicago Department of Water Management, Lake Michigan through the DuPage Water Commission and Lake Michigan through a new Indiana intake.
The Council and Commission will learn about each scenario during the joint meeting, which is being held in advance of an expected Council decision on January 7, 2020. The workshop will be held on November 13, 2019 from 5 – 7 PM in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 150 W. Jefferson St.
“One thing is clear: we must identify a water source alternative that will sustain Joliet into the future,” said Mayor O’Dekirk. “From practicality to cost, there are many factors to be considered and this joint workshop is an important step in working through those questions.”
Residents and businesses are encouraged to learn more about the study to identify an alternative water source at www.ReThinkWaterJoliet.org, or by following the initiative through Facebook and Twitter. Visitors to the website can also sign-up for e-mail updates for the latest news on the initiative.
The public will have an opportunity to learn more at a forum scheduled for December 5 from 5 – 7 PM at the Cantigny VFW, 826 Horseshoe Drive. Comments can be submitted at any time via the website www.rethinkwaterjoliet.org/contact, by emailing rethinkwater@joliet.gov or by calling the Utilities Department at 815-724-4220.
