Regional water commission will address looming water shortage

Kane County will join forces with other local governments in the area to form a new Northwest Water Supply Planning Area commission charged with forming a plan to address a vast water shortage predicted for 2050 and beyond.

County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay announced the new regional planning effort as a tangible result of an 11 county commission she led that discussed what to do about the water shortage. Kane County and many of the surrounding communities draw their water supply from aquifers at various levels underground.

"At the rate we're taking it out of the ground, we can't replenish it fast enough," McConnaughay said.

Lake Michigan water is not available to the county. And even the higher amounts of rainfall so far this year won't be much help.

The county's water experts said finding ways to recharge the underground water supply will be a key issue for the commission moving forward. The deepest sources of water currently used are recharged out in western DeKalb and Ogle Counties, said Paul Schuch, the county's director of water resources.

"That water takes a long time to get here," Schuch said.

Local municipalities are expected to play a heavy role in the new Northwest Water Supply Planning Area group as they are expected to be the source of 90 percent of the future population growth. Water conservation will also be a big focus, Schuch said.

"The climate is getting warmer," Schuch said. "We've been looking at drought planning, but you can't plan for all droughts all the time. However, you can plan for water conservation efforts."

Aurora, North Aurora, Yorkville, Geneva and Kane, Kendall, McHenry and DeKalb Counties are all expected to play a role in the new Northwest Water Supply Planning Area group. Each will kick in $500 to get the group up and running.