Illinois Water Inventory Program: A Data Foundation for Local Water Supply Planning

Reliable water-use information is essential for water supply planning. The Illinois Water Inventory Program (IWIP) serves as a central source of water-use information and water research data in Illinois. In turn, those data provide an important foundation for regional and local water supply decisions and long-term water supply planning across the state.
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What is the Illinois Water Inventory Program (IWIP)?
​The Illinois State Water Survey’s Illinois Water Inventory Program (IWIP) began in the late 1970s as a repository for the Illinois’ water-use data. Initially a voluntary, mail-based reporting system, reporting became mandatory after a 2010 amendment to the Illinois Water Use Act of 1983 (Public Act 096-0222) , reflecting the state’s need for more complete and consistent water-use data to support planning and research. Despite this need, there are no penalties for failing to report water withdrawals to IWIP, and the program lacks a dedicated funding authorization. At the time of this writing, IWIP was funded primarily through annual state appropriations administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), meaning its continued operation depends on annual budget decisions and is not automatically guaranteed.

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