HR0116LRB099 07297 GRL 27404 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Mahomet Aquifer system is an underground layer 
3of water-bearing sand and gravel that fills a wide bedrock 
4valley in all or parts of 14 east-central Illinois counties; 
5the aquifer system is the source of approximately 53 million 
6gallons of water every year for 120 public water systems and 
7thousands of rural wells that serve about 500,000 people; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, More than half of the population in east-central 
9Illinois relies on the Mahomet Aquifer system as a source of 
10their drinking water; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, There are complex pathways between the surface and 
12overlying aquifers to the principal aquifer in the eastern 
13portion and no confining layer between the surface and the 
14principal aquifer in the western portion, making the petitioned 
15aquifer vulnerable to contamination; and

  
 
16    WHEREAS, The Safe Drinking Water Act gives the United 
17States Environmental Protection Agency the authority to 
18designate an aquifer as a sole or principal source of drinking 
19water for a specified area; this designation allows the 
20Environmental Protection Agency to review all federally-funded 
21projects within the designated area to ensure they will not 
22contaminate the aquifer; therefore, be it
  
 
 
 
HR0116- 2 -LRB099 07297 GRL 27404 r

1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
3urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to 
4classify the Mahomet Aquifer as a Sole Source Aquifer in order 
5protect the residents of east-central Illinois and ensure they 
6have clean drinking water for future generations; and be it 
7further
  
 
8    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
9presented to United States Environmental Protection Agency 
10Region 5 Coordinator William Spaulding, the members of the 
11Illinois congressional delegation, and the Governor.