Dam a key to sustainability in Elgin

I want to comment on the dam removal proposal for Elgin. In terms of being a “greeniac” and believing in recycling, the dam now provides us with enough water for an intake system for river water to be purified for drinking water for most of Elgin.

While I do agree with Valerie Blaine on her recent letter about the pros of dam removal in general, for Elgin in particular, our dam enables us to use river water for drinking water. If we didn't do this, we would be exhausting our aquifer, and cause more issues for dwindling water supplies.

We are taking Fox River water, purifying it and recycling it to drink, so we don't use up well water. And it is cost effective. Wastewater is treated and discharged to the river, so we have a circle that is a good example of sustainability. At the lowest cost to the taxpayer. (If we run a line to Lake Michigan, it would cost more than $2 billion to set up and it would deplete Lake Michigan.)

People need to know that there are costs associated with dam removal in addition to “just taking the dam out,” which the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers said they cover two-thirds of the cost and possibly another agency would pick up the other third. Sediment has to be tested and treated, the city would be required to landscape the shorelines involved, and also build a new intake area, estimated at $20 million.

As a “greeniac” I favor leaving the dam in place and recycling river water and being sustainable. Many other dams could probably be removed with no problems and would help the critters and creatures depending on free-flowing water. A free flowing river is natural, but drinking water is not free.

Sandy Kaptain

Elgin