Buckingham Fountain
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Water for a thirsty region
It may be hard to imagine why communities near Lake Michigan are concerned about having enough water to support their people and industry. But, with federal limits on how much water Illinois can take from the lake and an ever-growing population, the supply is much more limited than it appears. The story is the same for suburbs that use deep underground aquifers for drinking water. There, water is already being pumped out faster than the aquifer can recharge.
Right now, Chicago and many of its suburbs get their drinking water from Lake Michigan. The water flows in tunnels from cribs that sit around 2 miles out. On a clear day, you can see these pumping stations from shore. Together with inland rivers and aquifers, the lake supplies roughly 1.5 billion gallons of water to houses and business across the region every day. By 2050, officials expect the northeastern Illinois population to swell to more than 12 million people. When that happens, the region will need as much as 64 percent more water than it has now, a thirst that will be hard to quench without careful planning and conservation.
Right now, Chicago and many of its suburbs get their drinking water from Lake Michigan. The water flows in tunnels from cribs that sit around 2 miles out. On a clear day, you can see these pumping stations from shore. Together with inland rivers and aquifers, the lake supplies roughly 1.5 billion gallons of water to houses and business across the region every day. By 2050, officials expect the northeastern Illinois population to swell to more than 12 million people. When that happens, the region will need as much as 64 percent more water than it has now, a thirst that will be hard to quench without careful planning and conservation.