Contact: Ronald Litke
312.454.0400
rlitke@nipc.org

NIPC HOSTS TRI-STATE MEETING ON WATER SUPPLY FOR THE REGION
Toward creating first regional water supply plan for Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana

(CHICAGO, May 6, 2003) – A precedent-setting intergovernmental effort to assure long-term water supply planning and management for the tri-state region is now underway as the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) hosted an April 29 meeting convening water managers from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana to organize a regional water supply consortium.  Attendees included Marcia Jimenez, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Environment, and Derek Winstanley, Chief of the Illinois State Water Survey, as well as representatives of local, county, and state water management and planning agencies, and three regional planning commissions.

Building the consortium is a direct result of the priorities established in the landmark Wingspread Accord (signed in 2002, click here for more) bringing together four regional planning agencies covering 17 counties, nearly 8,000 square miles and more than 1,500 government entities around Lake Michigan.  The effort also implements recommendations contained in NIPC's Strategic Plan for Water Resources Management, adopted by the Commission in September 2001.

“This is an essential effort toward assuring a dependable and high-quality water supply in our greater region,” says Ronald Thomas, Executive Director of NIPC. “This meeting brought together people to talk about the formative strategies to identify and prioritize the larger issues related to water planning and management that need to be understood and addressed by governments and policymakers.”

Despite Lake Michigan’s prominence as one of the largest fresh-water sources on Earth, it will not alone meet the needs of the entire tri-state regional population.  In areas dependent on water supply other than Lake Michigan, including inland surface waters, experts say the potential for scarcity does exist.

Discussion centered on water planning and management in the three states and the commonalities and the benefits of a consortium. “Now the work begins,” says Sarah Nerenberg, director of NIPC’s natural resources program. “We are starting by building a network of regional water supply planners and managers and interested parties.  Some initial efforts will be on educating the public and regional, county, and municipal decision-makers and legislators on how water and land resources are linked.”

 Long-term goals are: 

• Acquisition of funding for needed data gathering, research, and data analysis.
• Passage of legislation at federal, state, and local levels to appropriate funds for water supply planning and management.  Seek funds from private and public utilities and other non-governmental sources.
• Create a regional water supply plan and a regional water supply consortium to implement the plan.

This group plans to meet three times to organize the collaborative process.  Lead funding is being provided by the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program (www.iisgcp.org), which “fosters the creation and stewardship of an enhanced and sustainable environment and economy and along southern Lake Michigan and in the Great Lakes region through research, education and outreach.” 

ABOUT NIPC: The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission is the official comprehensive planning agency for the six-county Chicago metropolitan area. The Commission was created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1957 and assigned three broad responsibilities:

• To conduct research required for planning for the region;
• To prepare comprehensive plans and policies to guide the development of the region;
• To advise and assist local governments.

NIPC's web site is www.nipc.org.