In a letter to the editor in this week's Crain's Chicago Business, MPC President MarySue Barrett, Openlands Executive Director Gerald Adelmann, and Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner delivered a simple but important message: Water has value, and we all need to work together to protect and preserve it for future generations.
The letter highlights some ways Aurora, among other forward-thinking communities across the region, has been working to do just that for more than a decade. At the regional level, MPC and Openlands played a key role in advocating for the creation of the Regional Water Supply Planning Group, which was established to consider the future water supply needs of northeastern Illinois, and to develop plans and programs to guide future use that provide adequate and affordable water for all users, including support for economic development, agriculture and the protection of our natural ecosystems.
In "Before the Wells Run Dry: Ensuring Sustainable Water Supplies for Illinois," an MPC-Openlands joint report released on Nov. 19, the two groups recommended the creation of more regional planning groups across Illinois, which ultimately can work together to share information and best practices toward a sustainable water supply statewide.
Visit MPC's Multimedia library to download a copy of "Before the Wells Run Dry," and leave a comment to let us know what your community is doing to protect and preserve our shared water resources, and how the region and state can support these efforts.