Drinking water source focus of Lake Zurich session

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Updated: November 26, 2011 8:01AM

Lake Zurich’s future water supplies will be discussed at a community session Oct. 26, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Village Hall, 70 E. Main St.

Participants will discuss their concerns about Lake Zurich’s water resources, learn about the water planning project the village has been engaged in, see results of a community survey on local water habits and concerns, and share ideas about how best to manage the community’s water.

Lake Zurich faces several water management decisions, from the future source of its water supply to strategies to reduce local flooding.

This summer, village leaders partnered with a team of experts — comprised of the Metropolitan Planning Council, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, and University of Illinois Extension — to begin developing an integrated water resources plan. The project team also includes a task force of experts in engineering, economics, ecology, urban planning, communications, and education, all of whom are providing pro bono assistance.

In addition to meeting with local leaders and interviewing more than 40 stakeholders from the village, the team collected and reviewed more than 260 responses to a survey, which will be unveiled Wednesday night, on household water usage and water concerns from residents and business owners.

The final product of the team’s work will be a comprehensive strategy for integrated water resources planning for Lake Zurich, addressing the village’s water supply, wastewater treatment, and stormwater and flooding management.