Illinois to finance water infrastructure improvements

Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn has signed a new water initiative into law, which offers financial support to communities to improve stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water infrastructure.

The Clean Water Initiative was developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT).

The Illinois climate features more extreme rainfall events interspersed with longer periods of dry conditions, which can lower water supplies. Current water systems are not designed to meet the increased risks of drought and extreme precipitation conditions, which are likely to become more frequent with climate change.

Projects which collect, hold and filter rainwater, such as rain gardens, permeable pavement and rain collection systems, are eligible for financial assistance from the state’s water infrastructure fund under the legislation. As well as helping prevent urban flooding, these projects also reduce pollution in rivers and lakes, as well as supplying freshwater.

NRDC senior policy analyst Rob Moore said: "As climate continues to warp our weather, Illinois needs to encourage communities to make their water infrastructure more resilient to both extreme precipitation and drought. The bill Governor Quinn signs today will help communities’ water infrastructure meets the changing demands of the future using new strategies that bring real bang for the buck like green infrastructure and water efficiency."