The Grand Prairie Water Commission (GPWC) and the City of Joliet have Transferred a 100-year agreement with the City of Chicago. The agreement ensures a long-term, sustainable water supply for the Grand Prairie Water Commission communities, which include Joliet, Channahon, Crest Hill, Minooka, Romeoville, and Shorewood. The agreement is part of a larger project to connect these communities to Lake Michigan water, as the current underground aquifer is depleting.
“This historic agreement will deliver fresh drinking water to the region and address one of our greatest collective challenges,” said Grand Prairie Water Commission Chairman Clarence DeBold, who also serves as Mayor of Shorewood. “The GPWC was established to provide a sustainable, reliable and high-quality water supply for our communities by 2030 – and these puts us well on our way.”
Under the agreement, Chicago will supply water to the Grand Prairie Water Commission at a location on the southwest side of Chicago. The Commission is responsible for construction, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure required to move the water from Chicago to the Joliet region for delivery to the member communities. Each member community is also completing infrastructure updates in their municipality as well.
Rates to purchase water from Chicago will be calculated on a cost-of-service basis that requires GPWC to only pay for the cost of constructing, operating, and maintaining facilities required to produce and deliver the treated water. GPWC will not be responsible for other costs such as replacement of lead service lines in Chicago, replacement of water transmission or distribution mains in the Chicago system, or payment of pension contributions related to work performedby Chicago employees prior to Chicago’s delivery of water to the Commission.
