i/lnirrtf(*f§ DtrOii! O,'V : Illinois Bureau of Water jjtX Environmental Post Office Box 19276 0 1 2003 6^^$^ Protection Agency Springfield, Illinois ATURBANA-CHAWIPA'GN June 2002 Groundwater Protection Program BACKGROUND Illinois recognizesthe essential and pervasive role ofgroundwater in the social and economic well-being ofthe people ofIllinois, and its vital importance to the general health, safety and welfare. In support ofthese goals the Illinois EPA conducts a groundwater protection program with a mission ofrestoring, protecting and enhancing the state's groundwateras a natural and public resource. The program derives much ofits authority from the 1987 Illinois Groundwater Protection Act (IGPA). The IGPA emphasizes a prevention-oriented process. COORDINATION & The IGPA established the Groundwater Advisory Council (GAC). The GAC is composed of BIENNIAL nine public members appointed by the governor, includingenvironmental interests, industrial and commercial interests, representing agricultural interests, local government interests, REPORTING regional planning agency interests, public water supplies, and waterwell driller industry. The governor’s office recently tasked the GAC with evaluating quantity issues and policies. The IGPA also required the creation ofthe Interagency Coordination Committee on Groundwater (ICCG). The Committee is chaired by the Illinois EPA and has members from 10 state agencies/departments which have somejurisdiction overgroundwater. The ICCG continues to review, update, and implement a strategic plan and report biennially pursuantto the IGPA. REGIONAL GROUNDWATER In 1991 the Illinois EPA established a regional groundwater protection planning program in cooperation with the Department ofNatural Resources (DNR). These regional designations PROTECTION & took into accountthe location ofrecharge areas mapped by DNR. The DirectorofIllinois EPA PLANNING has established a planning committee for each region based on grass roots input. AMBIENT The Illinois EPA continues to operate an ambient network ofcommunity water supply (CWS) MONITORING wells consisting of362 fixed locations. The CWS network is designed to: provide an overview CWS ofthe groundwater conditions in the wells in Illinois; provide an overview ofthe groundwaterconditions in the major aquifers in Illinois; establish baselines ofwaterquality within the majoraquifers in Illinois; identify trends in groundwaterquality in the major aquifers in Illinois; and evaluate the longterm effectiveness ofClean WaterAct, and Safe Drinking WaterAct program activities in protecting groundwater in Illinois. SOURCE WATER The Illinois EPA is implementing a source waterassessment program (SWAP) to assist with ASSESSMENT & wellhead and watershed protection ofpublic drinking watersupplies. County and municipal PROTECTION governments can access this data dynamically and download it locally through a secured Intranet Geographic Information System. GROUNDWATER The Illinois EPA has developed groundwater standards, technology control, regulated recharge REGULATIONS area, and minimal hazard certification regulations (see http://www.epa.state.il.us/water/rules- regulation.htm^groundwater) CONTACT For further information on the groundwater protection program, please contact the Groundwater Section, Division ofPublic Water Supplies, Bureau ofWaterat 217/785-4787. Printed by Authority of Dtheec-St2a0t0e2ofI3l2li9n0o2is 300 LIBRARY U. OF I. URBANA-CHAMPAIGh UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN BOOKSTACKS