Plan adopted: Advancing water supply sustainability in the NWPA region

The NWPA is proud to announce that the NWPA Water Supply Sustainability Plan was adopted in May! Developed in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the plan aims to help communities better understand their water conditions and make informed decisions about their water supply in response to growing challenges — including groundwater overreliance, declining water quality, and limited access to alternative sources, such as Lake Michigan. ​

Groundwater demand exceeds sustainable supply  
While water demand for the NWPA region is projected to decline slightly by 2050 due to ongoing efficiency improvements, demand for groundwater remains a critical concern for many communities. Using the northeastern Illinois regional water demand forecast and the Illinois State Water Survey’s (ISWS) 2024 sustainable supply estimates to gauge how much water can be withdrawn from different water sources without jeopardizing their long-term availability, the plan shows that groundwater withdrawals in parts of the NWPA region are expected to exceed sustainable levels by 12.2 million gallons per day (MGD) by 2050 —underscoring the need for water conservation and efficiency. 
 
Communities can reach sustainable levels through water conservation 
To address this gap, the plan identified five water conservation and efficiency strategies that could reduce the region’s water use by over 38 MGD, including more than 23 MGD in groundwater use: 

• Residential retrofits 
• Outdoor landscape efficiency 
• Water efficiency for new development 
• Water loss control 
• Commercial, institutional, and industrial conservation programs 

 
If implemented by all public water suppliers, these strategies can achieve significant water savings, demonstrating the significance of local collective action. Savings can help ease pressure on water systems during periods of peak demand and delay the need to search for alternative water supplies. Even where supplies are stable, conservation can help communities avoid costly infrastructure upgrades, accommodate growth, save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and become more resilient to climate change impacts like drought. 

Local actions matter 
While the Plan offers a valuable regional perspective on water supply and demand, its greatest strength is guiding local action. County-level comparisons provide useful context, but they may mask local variations in seasonal demand, quality issues, or concentrated use that create community-specific water stress. Likewise, not every community in a county projected to exceed its supply will face shortages. 

That’s why the plan encourages municipalities to use the regional plan as a starting point to assess local conditions, develop their own sustainability plans, and determine which strategies will be most effective for their needs. 

Refining our understanding of supply 
Continuing to advance the region’s understanding of sustainable supply is equally important. More localized studies, such as the ISWS’s Kane County shallow groundwater sustainability study, can provide more insight into where reductions are needed and can help identify other factors, such as water quality or seasonality constraints, that can be used to refine the county-level sustainable supply estimates. 
 
By combining local action with ongoing scientific advancements in water supply modeling, the NWPA region can take practical steps toward protecting its water resources — ensuring clean, reliable water for generations to come. 
 
Looking ahead 
The plan's adoption marks a significant milestone for the NWPA and the beginning of a focused effort on implementation. Attend future NWPA TAC meetings to learn how your community can help implement the NWPA Water Supply Sustainability Plan!