Du Page Water Commission

Du Page Water Commission Municipal Water Report Info

DuPage County, located west of Chicago in northeastern Illinois, shares a common story with many suburban areas. Land originally designated for agriculture was developed for residential and commercial purposes as urbanization spread. In DuPage, an attractive area with rural appeal, the population grew steadily to 904,000 by 2000.

By the mid-1950s, it became evident that water supplies from deep and shallow wells were being depleted faster than natural replenishment. Additionally, groundwater quality didn't consistently meet regulatory standards. County municipalities, recognizing their proximity to Lake Michigan, began investigating the feasibility of accessing lake water.

In 1955, the Tree Towns Commission formed to create a water supply network for Elmhurst, Lombard, and Villa Park. However, concerns about temporary groundwater supplies and resistance to lake water withdrawal delayed progress for over two decades. Requests to government bodies for alternative, reliable water resources continued, eventually leading to the DuPage Water Commission's formation.

Finally, in 1980, the State of Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Water Resources granted many county municipalities allocation rights to lake water. In March 1984, the Commission agreed to a 40-year contract to purchase water from Chicago for redistribution throughout DuPage County.

The Water Commission Act of 1985 empowered the Commission to finance, design, construct and operate a water supply system from Lake Michigan to DuPage County. In 1986, the Commission established "wholesale" Water Purchase Agreements with 23 DuPage municipalities and began constructing Illinois' second-largest water supply system. Full operations commenced on May 1, 1992.