Water Shortage: How Joliet Taps into Lake Michigan for Sustainable Solution

Joliet, a city in the Chicago suburbs, is addressing its water shortage by tapping into Lake Michigan. Facing the depletion of their sandstone aquifer, Joliet and neighboring communities joined forces to form the Grand Prairie Water Commission. They plan to build a well and pump at least 100,000 gallons per day from Lake Michigan, ensuring a reliable water source for the future. Financing the project through state/federal loans, bond issues, and payments to Chicago, Joliet's approach presents a potential model for other areas grappling with water scarcity.