Construction underway for $1.4 billion, 60-mile water pipeline in Chicago
Officials in Chicago announced the start of construction on a 60-mile transmission pipeline which will transport water from Lake Michigan to around 250,000 residents in surrounding communities. The total project cost is estimated at around $1.4 billion, NBC5 Chicago News reported.
According to the Grand Prairie Water Commission and NBC5, the project is a partnership with the City of Chicago and the Grand Prairie Water Commission, which is made up of.
According to NBC5, the southwest suburban municipalities--Joliet, Crest Hill, Channahon, Minooka, Shorewood, and Romeoville--joined together to form the Grand Prairie Water Commission. The pipeline project is a collaboration between the commission and the City of Chicago.
The commission found that water supplies from underground aquifers would be insufficient to meet needs by the year 2030, and partnered with the city to purchase Lake Michigan water to meet growing demand.
The project will involve construction of 60 miles of water transmission pipes, three pumping stations and three water storage tanks. Water is expected to start running in 2030, according to the commission.
One of the chief concerns about the project is the anticipated increase in water bills for residents in the member communities, which some worry may double.
The cities of Joliet and Chicago entered an agreement to supply water through the new system for 100 years. The new commission will be the second-largest water customer in Chicago's water system.
As part of the agreement, the agreement is expected to generate about $30 million in annual revenue for Chicago's Department of Water Management.
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