The Illinois Groundwater Protection Act (IGPA), a comprehensive law relying on state and local partnership to protect ground-water both as a natural, public resource, and as a source of drinking water, was signed in September 1987.

In the years since, many of the Act's mandates have been met, and work is continuing on others.

Recognizing the necessity of sound policies to protect Illinois' groundwater, the month of May has been designated "Groundwater Protection Month" in the state by Gov. Jim Edgar. The designation supports the IGPA's goals which call for setting groundwater protection policy, fostering cooperation among state branches, establishing water well protection zones, providing for surveys, mapping and assessment, establishing recharge area protection, and setting new groundwater quality standards.

The goals are to be achieved through a multi-level approach. An Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater (ICCG) is made up of representatives from 10 state agencies working together on a regular basis. The group is chaired by the Director of the IEPA. Member agencies are the state Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Community Affairs, Energy and Natural Resources, Mines and Minerals, Nuclear Safety, Public Health, and the Department of Transportation's division of water resources, as well as the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Emergency Services and Disaster Agency.

A Groundwater Advisory Council (CAC) was created by the IGPA to allow input from the public, industry, and local governments. It includes nine public members appointed by the governor, two members representing industry and commercial interests, and one person each representing interest groups in agriculture, local government, regional planning, public water supply, and water well drilling.

The IGPA requires an extensive groundwater protection education program, which is coordinated by the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR). Major initiatives include production of informational brochures as well as video presentations, local and regional presentations and workshops, public participation projects, training programs and other undertakings which are included in an annually revised workplan.

The DENR also is responsible for developing a comprehensive groundwater evaluation program, resulting in a long-term plan developed by DENR's Water and Geological Surveys. This program includes data collection and automation, groundwater quality monitoring, and quality and quantity assessments, which are currently underway in priority regions.

The Agency has proposed to the Illinois Pollution Control Board two sets of regulations for the ground- water program. On Aug. 31, 1989, the Board filed first notice of technical regulations for new and existing activities within setback zones and regulated recharge areas. In September 1989, the Agency filed proposed regulations for comprehensive Groundwater Quality Standards. After hearings in 1990, several revised proposals have been submitted to the Board, as well.

During SFY 91 the groundwater section in the Agency's Division of Public Water Supplies (DPWS) expects to complete inventory and assessment of monitoring efforts. Ongoing well site surveys will further refine efforts to prioritize intensive groundwater quality protection efforts, including hazard reviews as well as technical assistance. To date, five groundwater contamination hazard notices have been issued by the IEPA — for S. Chicago Heights, Creve Coeur, N. Pekin, and Marquette Heights, all dealing with volatile organic contamination, and at Chandlerville, where the community wells have been contaminated with farm pesticides.

Rules have been developed to determine the lateral areas of influence created by a well pumping under normal operating conditions; boundaries determined by the prescribed pump test procedure are used to help shape maximum setback zones up to 1,000 feet around the well. No new potential primary sources may be located within the maximum zones, and additional requirements or controls may apply to existing sources.

Counties or municipalities intending to establish maximum setback zones are required to adopt ordinances to that end, after the Agency confirms the technical adequacy of the proposal. The Agency has the

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authority to propose maximum setback zones to the Board.

Since the adoption of the Illinois Groundwater Protection Act, the Division has been making wellhead surveys for each well in the state's community water supply systems. Reports are being sent, as completed, to the communities, to provide counties and municipalities with the basic information needed to understand their water supplies, and initiate local groundwater protection programs. The survey covers a radial area of 1,000 feet (72 acres) around each well, and is composed of a narrative summary, graphics, and technical appendices. Geographical features and potential sources, potential routes, and other activities which may threaten a water supply are located on an aerial photograph.

As of April 1, 70% (2,327) of the surveys had been completed, and 651, or 45%, of the reports had been compiled.

Well site visits
Special studies are supported by U .S. EPA as authorized and funded by the Clean Water Act, including the overall implementation of the groundwater plan, and activities related to site specific studies.

The Division has submitted a wellhead protection program to the U.S. EPA pursuant to Section 1428 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, based on activities being undertaken pursuant to the IGPA. No commitments will be made under the federal program which contradict or subordinate the IGPA.

Maximum Setback Zones
Though the IGPA established 200 or 400 foot setback zones for all community water supply wells, in cases where such action is warranted, the Division is urging communities to act to establish maximum setback zones for enhanced protection of the wellhead area.

To focus public attention on individual communities' responses, the DPWS has begun making public releases on the status of the local response to recommendations in the Quarterly Wellhead Protection Status Reports. This report will show which supplies have adopted maximum setback zones, which have maximum setback ordinances pending, which have locally determined not to proceed, and which have done nothing. Future reports will indicate how long each supply has been in its specific category, following receipt of the wellhead survey report.

The groundwater section in the lEPA's Division of Public Water Supplies is coordinated from the headquarters office, and had field personnel located at Elgin, Springfield, Rockford and Peoria. Each field office has a geologist and ancillary support personnel, who arrange site visits, monitor certain wells and conduct site surveys. •

May 1991 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 25